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

Weather

Unseasonably mild temperatures were reported across most of California at the start of the week, as a broad low pressure trough remained over the West Coast.

Isolated thunderstorms developed over the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Lake Tahoe during the afternoon hours. Some light drizzle fell across stations on the far North Coast.

As the week progressed, the low pressure trough gradually shifted east and weak high pressure began to build over Southern California. This brought a slight warming trend which raised temperatures to near normal levels.

Towards the end of the week, an upper level low pressure system settled off the North Coast. Temperatures were kept to near, or a little below normal levels across the north, while the high pressure over Southern California brought temperatures in that region to a little above normal.

Field crops

Lygus insect levels were monitored in cotton fields. Corn silage was harvested. Black-eyed bean growth continued. Garbanzo bean harvest concluded in Sutter County. Alfalfa was cut and baled.

Potato fields were treated for disease and pests in Siskiyou County. Small grains were harvested for hay and silage. Sunflowers were harvested for seed.

Sugar beets were dug up in Imperial County. Field operations continued with irrigation, ground preparation, and spray applications of fertilizer, herbicide, and fungicides, as needed.

Fruit crops

Peaches, nectarines, and plums were harvested and packed. The prune harvest is expected to begin next week. Gala apples were picked in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV).

Valencia oranges were picked in the Central Valley and along the southern coast. The lemon harvest along the southern coast slowed down. The fig harvest continued normally.

The SJV early table grape harvest continued as raisin and wine grapes developed. Cooler temperatures slowed wine grape development in Napa County vineyards. Growers removed more leaves to increase exposure to sunlight. Maintenance to orchards, groves, and vineyards continued with the spraying of fungicides, fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides as needed.

Nut crops

Hull splitting continued in almond orchards statewide as growers applied final hull split sprays before harvest. 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. Walnut orchards were sprayed with husk fly sprays.

Vegetable crops

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

Imperial County began ground preparation for fall veggies but it was too hot to plant.

In Kern County, the processing tomato, carrot, and potato harvests began. In Tulare County, tomatoes, eggplant, green beans, squash, and assorted peppers were harvested. Some areas were prepared for early plantings of winter vegetables. The processing tomato harvest continued.

In Fresno County, processing tomatoes and melons were harvested. Melons and peppers were harvested. Tomatoes and beans were pushed back at least three weeks from the normal schedule due to late rains in Stanislaus County.

San Joaquin County growers harvested onions and watermelons. Sutter County growers continued the harvest of vegetables for farmers’ markets.