Cal. here I come

[bobm]

Do nut trees have to be sprayed like fruit trees?

I would recommend that you look up your local ag extention or ag University for more accurate regional information as to what pests/ organisms to spray for as many differ widely in scope of infestation. Or , you can go "organic" ... your yields will deminish and while the nuts may appear normal, but there will be small hole bored into the nut shell and pest organisms' eggs will be within the nut that hatch and consume the nut meat. Example: Find a local oak tree when it drops its oak seeds and look for tiny holes in the shell . Open the shell and the nut meat will be already consumed. In Cal. there are Ground squirrels that consume a good portion of the nut crops so poison grain bait is used to limit losses . In some areas Blue Jays are a problem too.

Why are Californians planting almonds when they have been in drought for so long? I read they take an incredible amount of water to keep alive and productive.
Glad you are getting to spend time with your new grandbabies!

The almond and olive trees are a low water consuming tree as they were originaly from the dry areas of the middle east. The new orchards get their moisture from the big sprinkler in the sky during the rainy season in Winter and early Spring and are supplemented with drip irrigation. Walnuts need a large amount of irrigation water.

 

[bobm]

I have been having quite a conversations with the twins between white liquid refreshments ( cow squeezings )and burps.

 

[bobm]

We are now back home in Washington. Since we had next to nothing of traffic we got back in just 14 hours. We spoiled the twin girls rotten according to our daughter and wants us to return to face the music . We had a fun time with their older brother and sister in between wake up time of changing diapers, enjoying the white cocktails , burping and fun cooing conversations every 3 hours around the clock. We, and everyone else, have a difficult time in telling who is who between the girls as they are identical in appearance ( no birthmarks ) and behavior. The only difference is that Aubrie is still slightly smaller than Brenna due to positioning in utero, but has almost caught up in size already. Both are gaining an oz. +/- / day and looking like new borns instead of 30 days early C- section premies. Managed to squeeze in zoo time,picking up grandson #3 from kindergarden, going out to dinner, story reading time and shopping with our son's 3 kids too. This was the longest and most fun packed vacation we have ever had. We drove over to check out our ranch, all good. The lemon orchard ( 3 miles from our ranch ) is about 90% dead / dying from the drought and freezing temperatures a month ago. One neighbor said that it will be replanted with almond trees. Many of the orange orchard ( over 500 acres) across the road from the lemon orchard were also killed off or severely set back and about 100 acres are in the process of being pulled up to be replaced with almond trees. Last year about 100 acres of this orange orchard were pulled up and replaced with almond trees.

 

[Smart Red]

Gee, it sounds as if I should start getting my mind prepared for fresh squeezed almond juice for breakfast every morning.

 

[Nyboy]

Red almond milk goes great with lucky charms.

 

[Smart Red]

Lucky Charms I could do. Thanks for not saying Cocoa Puffs or Kicks.

 

[bobm]

I am amazed at the strong family resemblance that follows in my wife's generational female line. The twin girls look exactly like their big sister, who is the mini- me of their mom ( who is our daughter ) who is a carbon copy of my wife, who in turn is the spitting image of her mother, who in turn looks exactly like her mother (the twins' great- great grandmother ).

 

[Smart Red]

Sometimes it does seem to happen. I have my father's mother's wedding photo. So much me in that picture.