# THE HEAT IS ON. Temps push almond buds early.



## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Any predictions on the Almond bloom for 2011? Early, Late or Average? 

Its 6 pm and almost 70 degrees outside.

The bees are definitely happy campers lately. Pollen has been coming in at some yards just like Florida and Texas would this time of year.

The weather has sure been gorgeous the last couple of days. 

The forecast says 60's and above for the next ten days with no rain.:no: Not good for next summers honey crop if this keeps up. 

We were pruning and cleaning up the orchard today. The old trees are making a big move. The small ones pushing right behind. 

Its my guess we are going to be early this year. Especially if the weather stays like it has been. 

I think we will have some flowers open in 14-16 days. :lookout:

Hope to post some photos when they start. :waiting:


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Honey-4-All said:


> Any predictions on the Almond bloom for 2011? :


Late


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

Warm days but cold nights in the north. I was asking the same question yesterday. One grower said there was green tip on his Sonora. 
My best guess?:scratch:

I might be totally wrong, but my best prediction for the weather is the first 2 weeks of Feb will be cold and rainy with heavy snow in the mountains.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Well folks did I blow that one. Driving today and my "indicator " tree had about 50 blossoms open. Oh that beautiful pink color has arrived for 2011. It usually means two weeks before the general population of pink flowers start to show up in my area. Been dead on for 20 years or so. Hope to post a photo for the non believers as I need to pick a "bouquet" for the Mrs. tomorrow. My new prediction is 3 days early in 2011 for Almonds to open. Lets get ready to rumble.


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## suttonbeeman (Aug 22, 2003)

got a load going out in one week followed by second load.


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## LSPender (Nov 16, 2004)

I was in Wasco area Friday, bloom is a min. of 2 weeks away. Cold and foggy.


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

I was moving hives in the Chico area yesterday. It was cold and foggy/drizzling.
Didn't look like anything going on with the trees there either.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

The fog the last couple of days has definitely slowed things down the last 4 days. We received 5/8 inch rain last night and this morning. Need more. Forecast says fog is out of here and high 50's to low 60s after Tuesday. That should reawaken the buds. Not dramatically but some. Finished trimming yesterday. The trees that where cut two days before were "bleeding" so the sap is starting to flow. 

Just got back from picking Mrs. H her bouquet of Almond blossoms. Didn't get to it earlier as we were finishing pruning. 

The tree did not move much since mid week when they first opened. We have had fog the whole time since they opened until the drizzle and rain showed up yesterday afternoon. Miss M, my daughter is arranging the flowers as I type. Hopefully we can have some photos posted later this evening. 

New prediction says we will have some Kochi's and Nonpareils open on February 11-13. If the weather warms to mid 60's i'd move that up 1 or 2 days earlier.


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## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

*Bloom Dates*

Will be purty dang near what they always are. 

Feb. 20 is D day, must be Done.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Here are the photos of the first Almond blooms of 2011 in my area. The old "indicator" trees have been going about 5 days now. Went to pick Mrs. H a bouquet today.

We were married just after the D day ( done day) in 93 and spent the first night of the honeymoon in the back of the pickup in the almond orchards in Modesto on the way to Yosemite for the honeymoon. First blooms each year get picked for the Mrs. as a reminder........

Not the best background but what the ....


The photo with the paper is a cut out with the date from todays newspaper. 


https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0ByVaELVKHLaVY2U4NmU0ZjQtOTYyNy00Y2FlLWE4NTktMDBlYjgzOTg4NTk3&hl=en 

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0ByVaELVKHLaVNGViMmE3NDgtYTZhMS00MDhiLWJkNzQtN2I2ZTIwMDIyNzI2&hl=en


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## S&H (Feb 25, 2010)

Nice story, we like that.


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## mbholl (Dec 16, 2007)

Blue Diamond posted first bloom status report of the year on Monday. No bloom to report. They plan to start daily reports next week.


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## Nick Noyes (Apr 28, 2005)

I saw a bloom today. 10 more days


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## Ishi (Sep 27, 2005)

First blooms of the wild almonds 1/29/2011 in the Red Bluff CA area.


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## mbholl (Dec 16, 2007)

Rain showers predicted for Bakersfield & Fresno areas, Sat. Feb 12 & Sun 13th.


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## LSPender (Nov 16, 2004)

In Wasco this morning, not a bloom in sight.

7 to 10 days out for start, 14 to 18 days for 10% bloom

My observation


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Thanks everyone for posting when things get rolling with the almonds. Looks like 3/4ths of the bees are in already. Warm wind today pushing buds along.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Anyone feeling a little pink?

2-3 more days till the Np's and the Winters toss their coats for 2011.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

The bloom is here:

Winters----- OPEN
Nonpareil---- OPEN
Carmel----- OPEN




Original post date 1-22-2011 
Projected bloom start date of 14-16 days.
Actual +18

Indicator tree post 1-26-2010
Indicator tree projection +14 days
Actual +14 days


opcorn:



The trees are ready to burst. Unfortunately the projection for rain next week is the same. Tues 40%. Wed 60% Thurs 60% 


Hope everyone is ready.


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## LSPender (Nov 16, 2004)

Not a bloom in sight, wasco to bakersfield today.


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

between Orland and Corning this morning:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b278/loggermike/100_0435.jpg


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## Rustyhawk (May 1, 2010)

We drove around some of the almond orchards between Chico and Glenn yesterday and today, here are a few pics

http://s289.photobucket.com/albums/ll225/rustyhawk/almonds/


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## scottsbees (Dec 19, 2007)

I didn't see any bees on those buds.


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## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

5 Days until D day.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

The open trees in the north are contending with the wind and the rain. Some trees are nearly all open. From reports there is still not much happening modesto and south. Last Saturday and Sunday the bees were working the trees medium hard.


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## Laurence Hope (Aug 24, 2005)

Hey, Tom, is D day for the early varieties in central valley? What is D day for the late varieties?
Laurence


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

2010 information on almond bloom,

Source:
http://www.thealmonddoctor.com/2010/01/early-bud-break-of-almonds.html

Since we are on the topic of bloom, lets consider a few things that affect bloom timing.
*Chill hours:* Required chill hours have been accumulated. Across the valley, the minimal hours observed have been around 700 - almonds need 500-600. Broadly, chill hours are the tree's self protecting mechanism that requires it to be exposed to enough hours of cold weather (<45 degree F) in order to prevent it from blooming at the wrong time. If these hours are not met, poor bloom, deformed leaves, and lack of growth will occur. Since the required hours are lower than many other tree crops, very rarely does this occur. Once chill hours are met, the break of almond dormancy is often delayed by soil and air temperatures, as well as the photoperiod. 

As growers, we can not directly change the temperatures and amount of sunlight/darkness in which trees are exposed. We can, however, use some farming practices to change the "micro-climate" of the orchard. *It has been observed that blocks that have been sprayed with dormant oil or calcium nitrate tend to push a few days earlier than untreated blocks.* Shooting from the hip, I would guess that dormant oil increases the boundary layer temperature of the tree, making it "feel" warmer than actual ambient air temperature. So, if chill hours have been accumulated, and the nights are short enough, the tree would bloom since it is now warm enough. 

*Even though calcium nitrate gives a similar affect on bloom timing, I would suspect that it works in a different way.* Even though I am not 100% sure, I would guess that calcium nitrate increases the amount of solutes within the tree's cells, triggering cell expansion through changing the osmotic potential, and thus triggering the tree to bloom by causing the required hormone imbalance. It is possible that dormant oil may do something similar, but I dont know (and I cant find a resource quick enough to answer my own questions)- so please let me know if it does.

*Another way we can change the "micro-climate" is by increasing soil temperature.* Often, orchards that are irrigated in the dormant season to refill the soil profile often bloom earlier than those that have a unfilled soil profile. This affect is most likely due to the slight warming affect that moisture brings to the soil. Typically we expect winter rains to refill our soil profile, but this does not always happen - the 2007/8 and 2008/9 winters are good examples.* In years where we are short on rain, a pre-irrigation can help push the trees to bloom. *I hope this provides some insight for the upcoming season.

_______________________________________________________

Regards,
Ernie


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