The latest California Crop Weather report from the Sacramento, Calif., Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service:

Weather

On Monday (July 26) a low pressure system spinning off the north-west coast of California combined with monsoonal moisture to trigger showers and thunderstorms along the crest of the Sierra Nevada and eastward. On Tuesday, the showers were limited to the north-east plateau of California.

During the mid and latter part of the period, a trough developed over California which created an onshore flow and kept precipitation east of California.

High temperatures in the Imperial Valley were 5-10 degrees below normal throughout the period. Temperatures along the coastal locations and the inland valleys of northern and central California were also slightly below normal with a moderate to strong onshore flow.

Early in the period, temperatures up to 15 degrees below normal were common for areas affected by the delta influence.

On Saturday and Sunday, the highs crept back up into the low 90s for the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys.

Field crops

Rice fields continued to progress and were treated with herbicides. Alfalfa was cut and baled for hay.

Safflower fields bloomed and formed seed heads in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV). Lygus treatments continued in cotton fields. Corn silage was harvested in the southern areas of the state. Forages and other small grains were harvested for hay and silage. The wheat, oat, rye, and barley harvests continued.

Garbanzo bean fields dried down. Harvested small grain fields were disked. Field operations included irrigating; spraying fertilizer, herbicides, and insecticides; planting; and cultivating.

Fruit crops

The SJV blueberry, blackberry, and strawberry harvests continued near completion. The apricot harvest was completed. The plum, peach, and nectarine harvests were ongoing. SJV gala apples were picked and other apple varieties showed good development.

The picking of Valencia oranges continued normally in the Central Valley and along the southern coast. Lemons were picked along the coastal region. The fig harvest continued normally.

The early SJV table grape harvest continued as raisin and wine grapes continued to develop. Cooler temperatures slowed development in wine grape vineyards in Napa County. Maintenance to orchards, groves, and vineyards continued with the spraying of fungicides, fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides as necessary.

Nut crops

Hull splitting continued in almond orchards across California. Hull split sprays were ongoing. Tree shaking was expected to begin in one to two weeks.

Good size development continued for walnuts, pistachios, and pecans. Weed control was ongoing in nut orchards in the Central Valley.

Vegetable crops

The summer vegetable harvest was ongoing throughout California.

In Kern County, cantaloupes and carrots were harvested. In Fresno County, cantaloupes and watermelons grew nicely and were harvested along with honeydew and specialty melons. Yields are down this year. Subsequent fields for planting or transplanting were prepared.

The onion harvest continued with white, yellow, and red varieties sizing nicely. Garlic dried down in preparation for harvest and some fields were uprooted.

Tomatoes and peppers grew vigorously, flowering and setting fruit. Growers treated for mildew.

Fresh market and processing tomatoes were harvested.

Sweet corn grew well and was harvested. Fields were treated for insect pests. Carrots grew well.

Summer vegetables including beets, bittermelon, carrots, chards, choys, collard greens, cucumbers, daikon, eggplant, green, yellow and long beans; herbs, kales, lemon grass, lettuce, mustard greens, peppers, tomatillos, turnips, and squashes were harvested.

Growers transplanted and seeded cucumber, eggplant, green and bulb onions, spinach, and squash. Tomatoes were harvested but were slow to mature due to cooler temperatures. Carrots and fresh onions were harvested.

In San Joaquin County, summer cauliflower, sweet corn, canning tomatoes, cucumbers, and watermelons were harvested.

In Sutter County, field work and ground preparation continued. Beans were treated for spider mites and aphids. Growers in Colusa County began the harvest of processing tomatoes.