Variable temperatures and windy conditions are hindering pollination this season but growers are still reporting a good bloom period so far. Stanislaus producer Eric Genzoli said the wind events can be problematic for bees and are something he has never seen before during bloom. “Assessing some of the orchards, you see those bees having a pretty difficult time when you have 30-40 mph winds,” Genzoli said. “Some of the flight times could have been affected by that.”
It’s hard to compare any bloom to last season where conditions were ideal. However, Genzoli said despite the wind and weather fluctuation, disease pressure is low and pollination looks pretty good overall. “For the most part we are seeing pretty good bloom,” he said. “Some of the varieties are maybe a little less than we traditionally see with the weather we are having.”
Listen to Genzoli’s full interview.
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