Walnuts

Chapter 23

CA Walnuts Bearing Acreage

CA Nonbearing Acreage

CA Acreage 1987 - 2005

CA Yields per Acre

Cost of Production

Cost of Production

Harvest Costs

Cash overhead

Noncash overhead

Assumptions

Tree Growth and limiting factors• 30 to 40 feet tall.• Older Var. Bear fruit 5 to 7

years after planting.• Newer Var. Bear fruit 3 to 4

years after planting.• Can remain productive for up to

50 years.• Wind pollination, thus no petals.• Chilling hours = 800.• Walnuts need 42 – 45” of

water/year

• Climate needed is a cool, moist winters and hot dry summers.

• Walnuts are cold hardy to about 100F.

• Plant in deep soils, at least 10’ deep

• Production = 2,000 – 5,000 lbs/acre

Site Selection

Selecting Rootstocks

Choosing Cultivars

• Chandler• Tulare• Hartley• Vina• Serr• Payne• Franquette• Chico

Orchard Layout

• Depends on the size of the tree.• See page 465

Orchard Floor management, Irrigation & Fertilizers

• Floor– Winter cover crop– Mow in spring once 4-5”

• Irrigation– Flood– Micro sprinklers– Drip

• Fertilizer

Insects

Navel Orangeworm

Codling moth

Two Spotted Spider Mite Southern Fire Ant

Walnut Husk Fly

Diseases – Deep Bark Canker

Shallow Bark Canker

Crown Gall

Phytophthora

Walnut blight

Weeds