General Course Schedule

Lecture

Course introduction & the basics
of how trees work

Bearing habits

Hands on exercise:
Bearing habits

How trees grow &
what determines architecture

Lecture

Dormancy, chill requirements
& rest breaking

 Pollination & flower structure

Hands on exercise:
Dissection of flowers & fruits 

Root physiology and growth

Lecture

Why is California a good place to grow tree fruits and nuts?

Tree water use & irrigation 

Lecture

Tree nutrient use and fertilization

Fruit growth & development

Lecture

Nuts Maturity, Fresh fruit Maturity and Maturity Indexes 

Maturity Indexes Demonstration

Nut (Pistachio, Walnut, & Almond) and Fresh Fruits
Harvest & Postharvest Handling

Lecture

Training Young Trees

Field laboratory
exercise

Pruning/early tree training

Lecture

Training Mature Trees

Field laboratory
exercise

Pruning for production

Tree Water Use continued

Hands on
exercise

Measuring tree water stress

Field trip 

Root stress plots and Water stress plots

Foundation Plant Services  

Lecture:

Fruit thinning

Field trip:
 Wolfskill Experimental Orchard
 & surrounding area   

 Lecture

 Fruit preparation for consumers

Integration of all pieces of the tree
puzzle: growth, architecture,
cropping & management

Fruit & nut tree agriculture
in Northern California

Morning at Nickels Soil
Laboratory in Arbuckle.
Afternoon visit to walnut orchard 
& packing house.

Water use experiments

Fruit & nut tree agriculture 
in the Central Valley

Visit innovative pear, apple, almond, and fig orchards,
organic fruit & nut growers

UC Kearney Agricultural
 Research & Extension Center

View UC research demonstrations

Packing house

Cherry orchards

Central California
nurseries

Visit breeding programs, and nurseries 

Accommodations in Davis &
Dinner on your own