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

Weather

The weather during the week of Aug. 2 was influenced by a deepening trough off the California coast. On Monday and Tuesday, high temperatures in the Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Imperial valleys were at or just below normal.

As the trough strengthened by mid-week, valley areas influenced by the delta cooled to the upper 80s. Temperatures across interior California remained at or below normal for the rest of the week. Coastal locations averaged 5-10 degrees below normal as a thick marine layer was in place.

Isolated to scattered afternoon thunderstorms occurred in the Sierra Nevada and northern coastal range from Friday through Sunday.

Field crops

Cotton growth continued. Plants were at various stages of bloom and setting bolls. Corn silage was harvested. Other field operations in corn sprayed for mites and fertilizer applications. Black-eyed bean growth continued. The garbanzo bean harvest continued.

Early rice varieties began to head out. Herbicide and fungicide applications continued.

Alfalfa was cut and baled. Barley, wheat, and oats were harvested. Small grains were harvested for hay and silage. Field operations continued with irrigation, ground preparation, and spray applications of fertilizer, herbicide, and pesticide as needed.

Fruit crops

The blueberry, blackberry, and strawberry harvests were completed in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV). The plum, peach, and nectarine harvests were ongoing as prunes showed good color development. Gala apples were picked in the SJV as other apple varieties developed.

The picking of Valencia oranges continued normally in the Central Valley and along the southern coast. The lemon harvest along the southern coast began to slow down. The fig harvest continued normally.

The SJV early table grape harvest continued. Raisin and wine grapes developed. Cooler temperatures slowed wine grape development in Napa County, and a later harvest is expected as a result. Maintenance to orchards, groves, and vineyards continued with the spraying of fungicides, fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides as needed.

Nut crops

Hull split continued in almond orchards across California as growers applied final hull split sprays before harvest. Irrigation was stopped in orchards to allow the ground to dry in preparation for tree shaking. Tree shaking began on early varieties. Large-scale shaking is expected in one to two weeks.

Good size development continued in walnut, pistachio, and pecan orchards. Some trees were propped up to support the heavy set. White wash was also applied to walnut trees to protect against sunburn.

Vegetable crops

Farmers’ markets were at the peak of the summer vegetable season.

In Tulare County, tomatoes, eggplant, green beans, squash, and assorted peppers were harvested. Some areas prepared for early plantings of winter vegetables. The onion harvest was nearly complete in Kern County, but the processing tomato harvest had just begun.

Carrots in Fresno County were about halfway through harvest with good quality and yield reported. Winter carrots were planted and treated with fungicides and insecticides. Processing tomatoes were about 50 percent harvested and showed good color and adequate yields to fulfill contracts. Dehydrator onions were a week away from harvest.

Colusa County’s processing tomato harvest was in full swing but with low yields in the early planted fields. Sweet corn and onions were harvested in San Joaquin County.

Vegetables looked good in Stanislaus County. Cantaloupe and peppers were harvested in the western area, but tomatoes were still a couple weeks away. The majority of vegetables were two to three weeks delayed due to late spring rains and cool summer weather conditions.