Harvest Is Arriving 10 Days Early, Hull Split Is Already Happening, and the Clock Is Running Out to Get It Right
What the Field Is Telling Us Right Now
This harvest season isn’t waiting around.
Across the Central Valley, almond orchards are tracking seven to ten days ahead of schedule, and the implications of that compressed timeline are rippling through every pre-harvest decision a grower needs to make. Hull split was observed in earlier varieties as far back as mid-June, a notable departure from where most seasons stand at this point in the calendar.
The team at DLM has been on the ground watching these developments closely. According to their observations, tree health and vigor have remained strong with limited stress events overall, but the early push means the margin for error is tighter than usual, and the window to act is already here.
Hull Split Is Early And That Changes Everything
Hull split is one of the most consequential windows of the almond season. When it arrives ahead of schedule, the decisions that typically unfold over several weeks get compressed into days.
For DLM, the most critical call right now is navel orangeworm (NOW) spray timing. With biofix established earlier than in most recent seasons and trap catches coming in ahead of typical patterns, the spray window isn’t something growers can afford to calculate off a calendar. This year has underscored why orchard scouting needs to be ongoing and proactive, not reactive.
“Instead of using a calendar-based approach, this year has shown why it is crucial to be on top of orchard progression consistently and make decisions proactively, not reactively.” — DLM Field Team
The consequences of a mistimed spray during hull split fall directly on crop quality and yield. With flight two and flight three underway, DLM’s guidance is clear: the window to spray is now. Treating at the right moment prevents larval buildup that carries damage into subsequent generations.
A Pre-Harvest Checklist From the Field
With harvest ramping up, DLM outlines three priorities every almond grower in the Central Valley should be addressing in the next two weeks:
- Scout for ants and act immediately if you find them. A severe ant infestation was observed in a (neighboring) orchard this season, it was evident that the orchard had no bait applications scheduled and no plan in place. Left untreated, the yield impact will be potentially significant. If you’re walking your blocks and seeing ants, apply bait now.
- Get aligned with your PCA and keep rotating MOAs. Know what you’re spraying, when you’re spraying it, and why. If you and your PCA aren’t on the same page heading into this window, the cost shows up at the weigh station. Mode of action rotation isn’t optional, it’s foundational to a sound spray program.
- Manage soil moisture carefully and don’t lose sight of pollenizers. Pollenizer varieties are still actively growing, and they need to stay irrigated. Keep an eye on hull rot risk, avoid excess nitrogen and over-irrigation during this window. And don’t let post-harvest irrigation fall off the radar: bud differentiation runs through October, and what you do after harvest directly affects next year’s crop.
Water Management: High Stakes, Narrow Window
Irrigation decisions between now and your first shake carry consequences that extend well beyond this season.
Before shaking begins, DLM advises growers to slightly dry down orchards to reduce the risk of trunk damage during harvest operations. At the same time, nuts that are still actively sizing require consistent irrigation through full maturity, cutting water short now affects kernel size and quality in measurable ways.
Hull rot is an added variable in this window. For growers with a history of the disease, DLM recommends incorporating preventative fungicides into hull split spray applications to stay ahead of it. The combination of managing moisture, protecting pollenizers, and watching for hull rot symptoms requires a level of daily attention that can’t be delegated to a schedule set weeks ago.
Post-harvest irrigation deserves the same discipline. Almond bud differentiation continues through harvest and deep into fall. Trees that aren’t adequately fed and hydrated through that process carry the deficit into the following year.
“If irrigation is not properly scheduled and executed, it can be detrimental to this year’s crop and next year as well.” — DLM Field Team
The Bottom Line Heading Into Harvest
Despite the early timeline, DLM’s overall read on the Valley is measured: growers are largely prepared. The industry appears equipped to harvest, process, and handle this crop. The more practical concern on the horizon is logistical, commercial harvesters covering large amounts of acreage across multiple regions can create timing bottlenecks that ultimately fall on the grower to navigate.
When asked what single action matters most right now, DLM’s answer was straightforward:
“Get out and scout your orchards every day, check your soil moisture daily, and maintain a schedule with your spray applicators to ensure you protect your investment as best as you can.”
The early season is a reminder that in years like this one, the growers who stay ahead of the crop, not behind it, are the ones who protect both quality and yield when it counts most.