Growing almonds requires a lot of water, a resource heavily regulated in some areas.
It led researchers at UC Davis to roll up their sleeves and see just how much stress an almond tree can take.
“We had two sites, we have six years in one and three years in another, and found that we could wait a substantial amount of time, more than one month after growers normally start irrigating. We have not seen any bad effects on yields, but we have seen a better tree appearance in the trees. Now, we haven’t actually seen any serious symptoms, but at least delaying irrigation for long times has had no detrimental effect and some positive effects,” said Ken Shackel.
No worries there, but starting irrigation too late can cause issues. Shackel calls it the “bank account effect,” when the trees take up too much water too quickly, and then do not have enough to get through harvest.
The fourth-generation owner of Georgia’s Arena Acres cultivated a love for floral arts in FFA on a family farm passed down through generations.
April 20, 2026 04:55 PM
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Jarrod Hardke with the University of Arkansas break down extreme drought conditions, shifting planting decisions, and the impact of rising input costs on Arkansas agriculture this season.
April 20, 2026 04:32 PM
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Louisiana farmers say high water levels routinely threaten crops, highlighting the need for critical infrastructure and sustainability efforts in the Bayou.
April 20, 2026 03:37 PM
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Dixondale Farms produces around 900 million onion transplants each year, shipping them directly to customers and distributors across the country.
April 20, 2026 03:02 PM
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Patrick De Haan with GasBuddy joined us to discuss diesel price volatility and what farmers can expect as geopolitical tensions continue to impact energy markets.
April 20, 2026 11:26 AM
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Spring Weather Shapes Planting Pace Across U.S. Regions
April 20, 2026 10:24 AM
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