Best Phoebe Gordon Podcasts (2025)

1
Tree Destroyer: Cytospora in Prune (2025) 32:53

2h ago32:53

32:53

Cytospora is a devastating fungal canker disease in California prune production. Themis Michailides (UC Davis at Kearney Ag Center) updates us on the biology and management of this important disease. Themis has covered this disease on the podcast before but is back with key updates. Come to an upcoming extension meeting! Sacramento Valley San Joaqu…

1
The effects of wildfire smoke on nut crops 29:03

1M ago29:03

29:03

Fire is a fact of life in California, whether you live in a fire-prone area or you live in an area that can be impacted by smoke. Smoke doesn’t just cause health issues to animals - it impacts plants, too! Jessica Orozco and Maciej Zwieniecki at UC Davis have been using citizen science data from The Carbohydrate Observatory to try to guess at the i…

1
Walnut Rest-Breaking Agents with Katherine Jarvis-Shean 35:16

2M ago35:16

35:16

English/Persian walnuts have a fairly high chill requirement and can suffer from poor bud break and reduced yields in years with marginal or low chill accumulation. Katherine Jarvis-Shean (UCCE Yolo, Solano, and Sacramento Counties) has been looking at the efficacy of rest-breaking agents, both in semi-controlled conditions and in commercial orchar…

1
Nonstructural carbohydrates, dormancy and bloom of tree nuts 46:54

2M ago46:54

46:54

Nonstructural carbohydrates are the energy storage compound of trees. They are built from simpler sugars that are created via photosynthesis, and the synthesis of starch from these sugars and the breakdown of starch back into simple sugars is a dynamic relationship that is involved in, or may even signal, the transition from dormancy into bloom. Gu…

1
2025 Water Outlook with Sam Sandovol Solis 26:30

2M ago26:30

26:30

Sam Sandovol Solis, professor of cooperative extension in water management at UC Davis, pulls out the crystal ball for the fourth time to predict what the 2024-2025 water season will end up looking like. Sam and podcast host Phoebe also discuss water management in a future with uncertain supplies, and what growers can do in the present to maximize …

1
Tree nut production and water use outside of the United States 1:15:21

2M ago1:15:21

1:15:21

Almonds and pistachios are native to arid climates and are drought tolerant tree species. In California however, the high cost of production and land value pushes growers to maximize yields, which means trying to meet the full evaporative demand (though many growers apply much less water than this!) This is not the strategy everywhere, however, eve…

1
The Future of Irrigation with Tom Devol (2024) 28:57

3M ago28:57

28:57

At a time when California orchard farmers are being challenged by poor economics and tightening regulations – coming irrigation advances promise labor and time savings. I speak with Tom Devol (retired Almond Board of California) to discuss the past, present, and future of California orchard irrigation. Come to an upcoming extension meeting! Sacrame…

1
Tree Destroyer: Phellinus in Prunes (2024) 30:05

4M ago30:05

30:05

Phellinus heart rot in prune trees destroys structural integrity. Laurel Hoffman (UC Davis) updates us on the biology and management of this important disease. Come to an upcoming extension meeting! Sacramento Valley San Joaquin Valley (scroll to the bottom) The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the …

1
Encore: Avocado orchard recovery after wildfire with Ben Faber 16:47

5M ago16:47

16:47

We posted this episode back in 2020 and are pulling it out of the archives. It’s an interesting story of the surprising resilience of a tree after wildfire events that are unfortunately too common. Come to an upcoming extension meeting! Sacramento Valley San Joaquin Valley (scroll to the bottom) The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the s…

1
Walnut Freeze: Remaining Vigilant 21:58

5M ago21:58

21:58

Sudden autumn freeze events still sneak up on California walnut growers – as they did to some growers last Halloween (2023). Clarissa Reyes (UCCE Sutter-Yuba) and Luke Milliron (UCCE Butte) discuss the steps to prepare for freeze in walnut. At the time of posting – there was patchy frost on the morning of 11/18/24 and predicted also for 11/19/24. T…

1
Carpophilus truncatus update with Jhalendra Rijal 26:47

5M ago26:47

26:47

It’s been a year since Carpophilus truncatus (Carpophilus beetle) was found in California. Jhalendra shares some research updates and observations with host Phoebe Gordon. Come to an upcoming extension meeting! Sacramento Valley San Joaquin Valley (scroll to the bottom) Mention of an agrichemical does not constitute a recommendation, merely the sha…

1
Almond Variety Trials 10 Years In 39:03

6M ago39:03

39:03

Luke Milliron, Phoebe Gordon, and Roger Duncan discuss the three almond variety trials 10 years after they were planted across the Central Valley. Thanks to our grower cooperators and to the Almond Board of California for funding these trials. You can find more about the results discussed in our 2023 report. Details discussed can also be found in a…

1
Nitrogen uptake of Golden Hills and Lost Hills 12:09

6M ago12:09

12:09

Pistachios alternate bear, which changes the dynamics of nitrogen uptake and allocation within the tree on a year to year basis. To add to this, the newer cultivars, Golden Hills and Lost Hills, alternate bear less than Kerman, especially when they are planted on the high vigor UCBI. Doug Amaral (UCCE Kings County) decided it was time for an update…

1
The Walnut Variety Trial and the Walnut Improvement Program 55:14

6M ago55:14

55:14

A Third Thursday x Growing the Valley collab! Karla Caldera (CSUC graduate student) discusses the research she is conducting at the walnut variety trial located at the Chico State University Farm (2:27) and Dr. Pat J. Brown talks and answers grower questions about the Walnut Improvement Program at UC Davis that aims to bring improved plant material…

1
Are we measuring chill incorrectly? With Giulia Marino

6M ago

—

Trying to predict when trees will come out of dormancy and whether they’ve stayed in dormancy for a long enough period of time is a very old science. The methods for calculating chill has changed, but the measurement method, measuring air temperatures, has not. Giulia Marino, Professor of Cooperative Extension at UC Davis, measured the bark tempera…

1
Encore: Potassium fertilization with Phoebe Gordon 15:23

7M ago15:23

15:23

Phoebe breaks down the importance and best practices surrounding potassium nutrition in orchard crops. Phoebe and Franz Niederholzer wrote an excellent article on K nutrition CDFA – FREP Fertilization Guidelines Sign up for the 2024 Pistachio Short Course here: Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kin…

1
Introducing: Pioneers of AI 1:58

7M ago1:58

1:58

We’re excited to launch WaitWhat's newest weekly series, Pioneers of AI — your guide to the latest technological frontier. Hosted by AI thought leader, scientist, and investor Rana el Kaliouby, tune in for insights from industry trailblazers, explore the ethical considerations of AI, and get ahead of what’s to come as the technology continues to de…

1
Isaya Kisekka on passive plant water status measurement devices 27:17

7M ago27:17

27:17

Measuring plant water status is a critical but underused tool in irrigation management. It allows us to determine whether plants actually need water, but is time consuming, done during the hottest portion of the day, and difficult to do at a large scale. Commercial devices to measure plant water status are a fairly recent addition to the agricultur…

1
Prune Brownline Disease with Jaime Ott 16:37

9M ago16:37

16:37

Jaime Ott discusses the resurgence of prune brownline in the northern Sacramento Valley. In addition to prune, Jaime reminds us to be on the lookout for symptoms of Tomato ringspot virus in almond, peach, and cherry. Also caused by Tomato ringspot virus: Learn about Yellow Bud Mosaic in almond and peaches Learn about Cherry Stem Pitting Come to an …

1
Sterile Insect Technique update with Houston Wilson 20:00

10M ago20:00

20:00

Houston Wilson, Professor of Cooperative Extension in entomology with UC Riverside, gives us our semi-yearly update on Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) work in Navel Orangeworm, through work completed in 2024. It’s a long (20 year or so) long road, but may provide an additional tool in the IPM toolbox for controlling navel orangeworm. Listen to find …

1
Why woodchip size may matter with whole orchard recycling 13:55

10M ago13:55

13:55

Incorporating large amounts of woody biomass into soil, such as in whole orchard recycling (WOR), can promote carbon sequestration, nutrient recycling, and ecosystem health in agricultural fields. Yet uncertainty regarding the effects of WOR on soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics influences management decisions. Recently, Mae Culumber, Ph.D. with UC …

1
Encore: Sarah Light on Soil Health 16:22

11M ago16:22

16:22

Soil health is broad term that encompasses a important topic: functional soil that can support human activities, animals, and plants. Measuring soil health can be difficult even for soil scientists, but in today’s episode, Sarah Light shares some tools that growers, PCAs, and CCAs can use to judge soil health in their or their clients’ orchards. Th…

1
Florent Trouillas on the 2023 aerial phytophthora outbreak in almonds 20:35

11M ago20:35

20:35

In 2023 UCANR advisors and specialists got an unusual number of farm calls on branch cankers in almonds, many of which turned out to be aerial phytophthora. Florent Trouillas with UC Davis goes over the pathogen, its lifecycle, and the conditions in 2023 that led to this outbreak. Come to an upcoming extension meeting! Sacramento Valley San Joaquin…

1
Monterey Almond Maladies 22:10

11M ago22:10

22:10

Luke Milliron discusses the growing list of problems with the Monterey almond variety in the northern Sacramento Valley. Leafing failure (what is it) Leafing failure (what might be causing it) Flowering failure Come to an upcoming extension meeting! Sacramento Valley San Joaquin Valley (scroll to the bottom) The views, thoughts, and opinions expres…

1
Introducing: Offsite Adventures 20:35

12M ago20:35

20:35

From the team behind Spark & Fire, we're happy to share the first episode of Offsite Adventures, our newest show uncovering the gems, magical moments, and unique learnings in iconic business travel destinations. Three minutes before midnight in Times Square, one of the most trafficked commercial centers in the world momentarily transforms into a vi…

1
Amisha Poret-Peterson on soil microbiome basics 31:15

12M ago31:15

31:15

This week, we share an episode that was TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING (if you count continually rescheduling episode recording sessions due to various conflicts and then forgetting about it for a year as making an episode). Phoebe interviews Amisha Poret-Peterson with the USDA-ARS on the basics of soil microbiology. We discuss the complexity and role of …

1
Encore: Lu Zhang on Dust During Pistachio Bloom 17:08

1y ago17:08

17:08

Lu Zhang provides an update on work published last year on the effect of dust on pistachio pollen, flowers, nut set, and blanking (it’s not good!). Please note that there are other physiological causes of blanking, such as incomplete pollination or aborted kernel development, and that we have not determined how much dust could contribute to blankin…

1
Daniele Zaccaria on cover crop research in pistachios 20:25

1y ago20:25

20:25

Cover crops! They’re not just for almonds (despite the bulk of California orchard cover crop research being in that crop). Daniele Zaccaria has been conducting research on cover crops in California pistachio orchards and shares what he has found, including some interesting possibilities as to why they found higher yields in orchards with cover crop…

1
When to Start Irrigating Walnuts 32:07

1y ago32:07

32:07

Luke Milliron and Ken Shackel (UC Davis) sit down to talk about the decade plus of research investigating when to start irrigation in the spring for walnut orchards. If you want to learn more about incorporating the pressure chamber to improve orchard health and cut costs - contact your local farm advisor or Luke at (530) 828-9666 Come to an upcomi…

1
Carpophilus truncatus with Houston Wilson 20:08

1y ago20:08

20:08

In a world where it feels like we have a new invasive pest every month, sometimes it’s hard for an arthropod to stand out. Last year, the nut industries were put on notice by Carpophilus truncatus, a tiny beetle that has commandeered big attention. Lucky for us (and unluckily for the Australians), we aren’t alone in trying to figure out how to keep…

1
Encore: Pecan Basics with Dr. Richard Heerema 25:54

1y ago25:54

25:54

Phoebe talks with Richard Heerema, the pecan specialist for New Mexico State University, about pecan botany and physiology, and why it may not be as good of a choice for areas prone to flooding as you think it might be. This is an episode for those who are thinking of planting pecans but have not done so. Come to an upcoming extension meeting! Sacr…

1
Florent Trouillas on the use of Orondis in pistachios 18:45

1y ago18:45

18:45

Florent Trouillas, a professor of Cooperative Extension in plant pathology at UC Davis, describes how pistachios become infected with phytophthora and how to manage it. He also describes his research on this newly registered product. Come to an upcoming extension meeting! Sacramento Valley San Joaquin Valley (scroll to the bottom) Mention of an agr…

1
New UC Davis Prune Varieties Prove Promising 23:07

1y ago23:07

23:07

Sarah Castro (UC Davis) discusses how new prune varieties can improve a grower’s bottom line! scastro @ ucdavis.edu Insta: @cali.prunebreeder Initial episode on the prune breeding program with Sarah Come to an upcoming extension meeting! Sacramento Valley San Joaquin Valley (scroll to the bottom) The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the …

1
2024 water outlook with Sam Sandovol Solis 21:27

1y ago21:27

21:27

Phoebe and Sam discuss the water outlook for 2024. Some things have changed since last year, but some things have stayed the same. Listen to the entire episode to hear a public service announcement about tequila and agave production in the state! Come to an upcoming extension meeting! Sacramento Valley San Joaquin Valley (scroll to the bottom) Ment…

1
Encore: Pistachio Dormancy with Craig Kallsen 22:29

1y ago22:29

22:29

While we posted this episode all the way back in 2018, we thought we would dust it off since the information is still timely. Phoebe interviews Craig Kallsen, the now emeritus subtropical and pistachio tree crop advisor for Kern County, to talk about what we know and don’t know about dormancy in pistachios. Craig also talks about a paper he publish…

1
2024 Bee Outlook with Brittney Goodrich 23:59

1y ago23:59

23:59

Brittney Goodrich provides an update on what almond growers can expect in the 2024 pollination season. You can find the economic calculator here. Come to an upcoming extension meeting! Sacramento Valley San Joaquin Valley (scroll to the bottom) Mention of an agrichemical does not constitute a recommendation, merely the sharing of research findings.…

1
The War Against Navel Orangeworm in 2023-2024 23:23

1+ y ago23:23

23:23

Navel Orangeworm (NOW) wreaked devastating impacts on the California almond industry in 2023. I sat down with Dr. Franz Niederholzer (UCCE Colusa) after harvest to discuss what had happened and what needs to be done to win the war against NOW in 2024. Come to an upcoming extension meeting! Sacramento Valley San Joaquin Valley (scroll to the bottom)…

1
Nematode Management in Walnut: 2023 39:30

1+ y ago39:30

39:30

Dr. Andreas Westphal provides an update on tightening regulations and the latest research progress for nematode management in walnuts and other orchard crops. Dr. Westphal’s upcoming nematode management field days will be on Tuesday November 28 (walnut), and Wednesday November 29 (almond) at the Kearney Ag Center (9240 S. Riverbend Ave, Parlier, CA…

1
Encore: Almond Harvest Timing with Mel Machado 22:34

1+ y ago22:34

22:34

Mel Machado (Blue Diamond Almond Growers) discusses important considerations for timing almond harvest, including grower objectives, varieties, and nut quality. Resource links related to almond harvest: When do you shake almonds? Maintaining Quality with Pick Up & Stockpiling Best Practices Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boar…

1
Evapotranspiration of pistachios in saline conditions with Daniele Zaccaria 22:07

1+ y ago22:07

22:07

Pistachios are very salt tolerant, at least compared to most of the other orchard crops that are grown in California. However, this does not make them immune to the effects of salinity. Daniele Zaccaria recently wrapped up a four year study examining the water use of trees under varying levels of soil salinity and found that water use decreases as …

1
Encore: Postharvest Weed Survey & Management with Drew Wolter 19:23

1+ y ago19:23

19:23

Drew Wolter (now former UCCE farm advisor intern) and Luke Milliron discus why the postharvest weed survey helps form the backbone of an integrated weed management program. Mention of a pesticide does not constitute a pesticide recommendation. Always follow the pesticide label. Thanks to the Pistachio Board of California and Almond Board of Califor…

1
Whole orchard recycling: application, fertilization, and diseases with Brent Holtz 3:53

1+ y ago3:53

3:53

Whole orchard recycling is thepractice of incorporating recycled wood chips from oldorchards into soil priorto planting a new orchard. While this can change or improve howthe new orchard grows and the soil properties for the site, there are still various thingsgrowers need to consider if adopting this practice. Cameron Zuber (Merced and Maderacount…

1
Navel Orangeworm mating disruption neighbors program 33:32

2y ago33:32

33:32

Mating disruption has been found to reduce NOW damage in almonds by, on average, 50%, however we think it is most effective when it is applied in blocks that are 40 acres or larger. This means that a lot of growers who may be interested in mating disruption feel like they may not be able to use it due to their small blocks. A collaborative partners…

1
Pacific flatheaded borer update with Jhalendra Rijal 23:01

2y ago23:01

23:01

Pacific flatheaded borer has recently become a pest of concern in walnuts, though it has been known to damage walnuts for a long time. Jhalendra Rijal has been researching its biology and control methods and has provided us with an update on his findings. Mention of an agrichemical does not constitute a recommendation, merely the sharing of researc…

1
Ganoderma adspersum update with Daisy Hernandez 16:13

2y ago16:13

16:13

Daisy Hernandez has been conducting research on Ganoderma adspersum as part of her doctoral dissertation. She shares some more things that she’s learned since our last episode on this wood decay fungi, as well as a few tips for growers who are replanting in sites with known G. adspersum issues. Upcoming Extension Meetings: Sacramento Valley San Joa…

1
Whole orchard recycling in walnuts with Luke Milliron 25:24

2y ago25:24

25:24

Whole orchard recycling (WOR) is becoming commonplace in almonds, and we have several research trials scattered across the state examining best practices and potential benefits from this practice. It has not been looked at as extensively in walnuts, which will contribute much more biomass to the soil. Luke shares the results from some of this trial…

1
Create from joy: Writer Phoebe Robinson on "You Can’t Touch My Hair" 32:32

2y ago32:32

32:32

There’s a commonly held belief that great creative work comes from pain. But comedian and writer Phoebe Robinson says that this is a myth. Instead, Phoebe believes great creative work comes from a place of joy. As Phoebe shares her personal story of writing her debut essay collection, You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explai…

1
Phosphorus fertilization in newly planted almonds with Phoebe Gordon 34:01

2y ago34:01

34:01

Phoebe discusses some research she has conducted with Greg Browne (USDA plant pathologist) on examining phosphorus fertilization in newly planted almond orchards. Upcoming Extension Meetings: Sacramento Valley San Joaquin Valley (scroll to the bottom) The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, …

1
5 ways to handle creative conflict 23:20

2y ago23:20

23:20

Creative conflict can destroy a work-in-progress — or it can push your work beyond good to great. What matters is how you respond. We’re going to hear from 5 creators in 5 very different fields who share actionable strategies (and great stories) about how to recognize, resolve, and harness conflict to create work that is visionary. Featuring “Froze…

1
Get to the fun part: Game creators Matthew Inman and Elan Lee on Exploding Kittens 35:17

2y ago35:17

35:17

To make something irresistible, get to the fun part — fast. That’s how Exploding Kittens became one of the world’s most popular games. When cartoonist Matthew Inman (The Oatmeal) and game developer Elan Lee (former Xbox) designed the card game Exploding Kittens, they took fun very seriously. This mindset unlocked their creativity in unexpected ways…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Phoebe Gordon Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide

zproxy.org