The California Crop Weather report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service Field Office in Sacramento released July 23, 2012.
Weather
A low pressure system produced an onshore flow across much of the Golden State through the early part of the week of July 16 with well below normal temperatures across the inland areas.
This strong marine push filled the greater Sacramento Valley with persistent low clouds. Along with cool temperatures, rain affected the northwest portion of the state with some precipitation more than an inch.
Across the Southland and desert areas, a monsoonal flow of moisture moved north from Baja California and generated scattered showers and thunderstorms across the San Diego County mountains plus the eastern deserts.
Some local heavier rainfall amounts included near three quarters of an inch near Blythe and around an inch and a half at Fish Creek Mountain.
The later part of the period saw high pressure across California from the Desert Southwest region with warmer temperatures returning to the inland areas.
Field crops
Cotton showed relatively good fruit retention. Fruit development progressed well. Many fields were irrigated. Most of the cotton crop was squared. More than half of the crop had set bolls.
Corn for grain grew well with tassels in some fields. Corn for silage was harvested.
Cotton and rice conditions were rated mostly good to excellent. Rice progressed well due to favorable weather conditions.
Alfalfa was cut, raked and baled.
Row crops were cultivated. Garbanzo beans were harvested. Black-eyed peas bloomed and sent out runners.
Fruit crops
The peach, plum, and nectarine harvests continued as the apricot harvest neared the end. The cling peach harvest began in the Sacramento Valley.
The table grape harvest picked up as the Flame Seedless and Summer Royal varieties were harvested in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV).
Apple, kiwi, fig, jujube, olive, and pomegranate fruit developed. Strawberries and blackberries were picked and packed in the SJV and coastal areas. The blueberry harvest was nearly complete.
The harvests of Valencia oranges, lemons, and grapefruit continued. The late Navel orange harvest was wrapping up.
Nut crops
Almond hull split continued as growers applied hull split sprays.
There was also good developmental progress in walnut, pistachio, and pecan orchards. Navel orangeworm activities were high in pistachios.
Walnuts were sprayed for weeds, coddling moth, and husk fly.
Vegetable crops
Kern County reported carrot and melon harvests.
In Fresno County, onions, garlic, and processing tomatoes were harvested, plus beets, bittermelon, bell peppers, choys, chards, kales, cucumbers, daikon, eggplant, fava beans, green onions, beans, herbs, lemon grass, spinach, squash, tomatillos, turnips, zucchini, cantaloupe, and watermelon.
Tulare County reported the watermelon and honeydew harvests had started but progressed slowly.
Madera County reported the processing tomato harvest.
In Stanislaus County, eggplant, cabbage, broccoli, greenhouse tomatoes, garlic, onions, herbs, and squash were harvested. The tomato harvest started. Cantaloupes were picked.
The seed onion harvest continued in Sutter County. Tomatoes and cantaloupes were harvested.
San Joaquin County reported onion, watermelon, and cucumber harvests.
In Siskiyou County, onions grew while treated for insects and diseases.
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