General Course Schedule
Typical schedule for both weeks are below. A graduation dinner for the first week of class is held on Thursday evening at the Buckhorn Restaurant in Winters, CA. We provide transportation for all travel during the course. A more detailed and specific schedule will be sent to registered participants closer to the course each year.
Week 1: University of California, Davis | Week 2: Field Tour
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
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Registration | Quiz | Quiz | Quiz | Quiz |
Lecture Course introduction & the basics Bearing habits Hands on exercise: How trees grow & |
Lecture Dormancy, chill requirements Pollination & flower structure Hands on exercise: Root physiology and growth |
Lecture Why is California a good place to grow tree fruits and nuts? Tree water use & irrigation
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Lecture Tree nutrient use and fertilization Fruit growth & development
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Lecture Nuts Maturity, Fresh fruit Maturity and Maturity Indexes Maturity Indexes Demonstration Nut (Pistachio, Walnut, & Almond) and Fresh Fruits |
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Lunch provided | Lunch provided | Lunch provided | Lunch provided | Lunch provided | |
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Lecture Training Young Trees
Field laboratory Pruning/early tree training |
Lecture Training Mature Trees Field laboratory Pruning for production |
Tree Water Use continued
Hands on Measuring tree water stress Field trip Root stress plots and Water stress plots Foundation Plant Services |
Lecture: Fruit thinning
Field trip: |
Lecture Fruit preparation for consumers Integration of all pieces of the tree |
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Dinner on your own | Dinner on your own | Dinner on your own | Graduation & Dinner at the Buckhorn in Winters | Dinner on your own |
Week 2: Field Tour | Week 1: University of California, Davis
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | |
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Fruit & nut tree agriculture Morning at Nickels Soil Water use experiments |
Fruit & nut tree agriculture Visit innovative pear, apple, almond, and fig orchards, |
UC Kearney Agricultural View UC research demonstrations Packing house Cherry orchards |
Central California Visit breeding programs, and nurseries |
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Accommodations in Davis & |
Accommodations in Selma, CA included Dinner on your own |
Accommodations in Selma, CA Group dinner |
Return to Davis in the evening |