The graft union is a critical juncture when it comes to Sudden Apple Death (SAD) a phenomenon that affects young apple trees across the Okanagan. Staff from the Summerland Research and Development Centre delivered a SAD update on July 13, noting that it presents as a combination of factors whose effects may be accelerated by …
CROPS
Okanagan wine appellations expand
The province recently approved six new sub-geographical indications in the Okanagan Valley. “I think it’s a logical next step in the progression of looking harder at the Okanagan Valley and seeing what it has to offer north to south, east to west. A lot of people do that anyways, certainly within the industry,” says Julian …
Drought fears washed away
A year after a historic heat dome sent temperatures soaring, all of BC is at drought level 0 on the province’s six-level drought scale. An abundance of moisture and cool temperatures this year has made it a washout for drought. A year ago, six basins were already at drought level 3 and the Salmon River …
Guaranteed returns for apples
More revenue for more growers is how BC Tree Fruits Cooperative is framing the launch of a three-year program that will guarantee growers a minimum return on their apples. “The Cooperative is expanding on a program launched in 2020 by providing minimum payment guarantees to growers on a wide range of varieties, grades, and sizes …
Irrigation shouldn’t be an afterthought
GRAND FORKS – When cool weather lingers through spring and when it arrives in the fall, irrigation is the furthest thing from the minds of many growers. That shouldn’t be the case, says irrigation designer Andrew Bennett. “It’s been a cold April – nobody’s thinking about irrigation,” he says. “[But] start early, and make sure …
DAS expands to Kootenays
The BC Decision Aid System, one of the best resources available for providing time-sensitive information on managing pests, is expanding to the Kootenays. Five new provincially funded weather stations in the Creston area will collect and integrate data used to forecast insect population trends so orchardists can anticipate and respond to pest management issues. An …