What are the general harvest times for: Each crop has an optimal period and method for

harvest, but the harvest period can vary based on the gardeners tastes, characteristics of the fruit, and planned use of the fruit. Fruits can ripen by degrees and harvested over a range of maturity and ripeness. Cherriesharvested fully ripe with their stems attached and usually over a period of two weeks or so. Look for a well-colored sweet crop to appear in early spring to July. Then determine when
to harvest sweet cherry by the sugar content--most gardeners just rely on taste. The sugar content increases toward the end of the ripening phase. Most gardeners just rely on taste. Finally Harvest sweet cherry in the morning when the weather is cooler. Fresh fruit respires heavily after it is picked.

Apricots-- They grow in warm climates that get a period of cooler weather but no hard frosts. Different fruits are picked at different times in the maturation process to produce the sweetest fruit possible. Apricots are picked when they are fully mature, but not necessarily at their ripest. They will continue ripening after they are picked. Harvest apricots from the beginning of May through the end of July. Apricots have a short shelf-life and should be
enjoyed soon after they are harvested.

Prunes (French plums)Harvest these in the late summer months when the fruit easily comes off the fruit spur on the tree. color changes in your plums indicates ripening. Feel the fruit to
determine its stage of ripeness. Fully ripe plums will feel slightly soft and yield to slight finger pressure. Gently apply pressure to the fruit with your thumb to check for softness. The skin will feel powdery, and the fruit will give off a pleasant aroma. For fresh eating, the optimum harvest

time is when the fruit are firm-ripe and full flavored.

Asian Pearsto harvest pears, gently lift the fruit upward toward the tree without breaking the fruit spur. If the fruit is ripe, it will easily pull away from the stem. Asian Pears start ripening around August and should be harvested when firm-ripe and sweet. Which of the above fruit trees prefer rich compost to be amended into the soil? I dont really know.

What are the differences between black and clear plastic solarization? (Think seasonally as well)
Soil solarization is an environmentally friendly method of using solar power for controlling pests. The dirt is mulched before anything is planted, then covered with a transparent polyethylene tarp that traps hot solar energy (in the hotter parts of the year) for 4 to 6 weeks and kills all of the pests.
When properly done, the top 6 inches of the soil will heat up to as high as 140F, depending on the location. This energy causes physical, chemical, and biological changes in the soil . The plastic sheets

allow the suns radiant energy to be trapped in the soil, heating the top 12 to 18 inches and killing a wide range of soil-borne pests, such as weeds, pathogens, nematodes, and insects.

Studies have demonstrated effectiveness of solarization with various vegetables, field crops, ornamentals and fruit trees, against many pathogens, weeds and a soil arthropod. The clear tarp solarization does not work on all pathogens and weeds. The biological, chemical and physical changes that take in solarized soil during and after the solarization have been investigated, as well as the interaction of solarization with other methods of control. Long-term biological control and increased growth response also occurred. In
general, transparent or clear plastic is most effective for solarization, as the heating rays from the sun will pass through the sheet and be trapped to heat the soil below. Usually, black plastic is less effective because it absorbs and deflects part of the heat rather than trapping as clear plastic does. However, in cooler or coastal areas, black plastic is sometimes better than clear, because weeds wont grow beneath it, as they will under clear plastic when the air temperatures are too low to kill them. In this case, the black plastic should be left in place for several weeks during the hottest part of the year.

What are some ground squirrel abatement strategies suggested by UC IPM?

The control procedure you select depends heavily upon the unique life cycle and behavior of the ground squirrel. For example, baiting with treated grain is effective in summer and fall, because squirrels primarily feed on seeds during this period. Fumigation is most effective in spring when moist soil helps seal gasses in the burrow system. Fumigating at this time also is more effective, because squirrels die before they can reproduce. Table 1 shows the yearly activities of the California ground squirrel and times when baiting, trapping, and fumigation are most effective. Traps are practical for control when squirrel numbers are low to moderate. Live-catch traps aren't recommended, because they present the problem of how to dispose of the animals. Because ground squirrels carry diseases and are agricultural pests, the California Fish and Game Code specifies it is illegal to release them elsewhere without a written permit. Fumigation is a relatively safe method of control. As with any pesticide, read and follow label instructions with particular regard for non-target species and safety factors. Be aware of the signs of non-target species (such as Kit foxes or burrowing owl that also use the holes for homes), inhabiting inactive ground squirrel burrows. Don't treat a burrow if you suspect a nontarget animal is present. Fumigate only active ground squirrel burrows. Many county agricultural commissioners' offices sell United States Department of Agriculture gas cartridges, which are designed for fumigating burrowing rodents. Other types of fumigation cartridges also are available at retail outlets. Fumigation is most effective in spring or other times when soil moisture is high, which helps contain the gas within the burrow system. Don't fumigate in summer or when the soil is dry, because the gas more readily diffuses into small cracks present in dry soil, making it less effective. Don't fumigate during hibernation, because the squirrel plugs its burrow with soil, preventing fumes from reaching the nest chamber. Anticoagulant baits can control ground squirrels. The squirrel must eat the anticoagulant in several feedings during a period of 5 or more days in order for it to be effective. Because of this feature and because an antidote, vitamin K1, exists, this bait is relatively safe for use around humans and pets. However, keep pets out of treated areas, check the areas daily, and remove and dispose of any

carcasses. Anticoagulant baits generally require 2 to 4 weeks or more to be effective. Continue baiting until all feeding ceases, and you no longer see any squirrels. Although few ground squirrels will die aboveground, you should pick up and dispose of those that do as described above in the Trapping section and in accordance with label directions. Also be sure to pick up and dispose of unused bait, according to label instructions, upon completion of the control program. You'll generally find ground squirrels in open areas, although they sometimes use available cover. Remove brush piles and debris to make an area less desirable. This also aids in detecting squirrels and their burrows and improves access during control operations. Destroy old burrows by deep ripping them to a depth of at least 20 inches, using a tractor and ripping bar(s). Shooting squirrels with a.22 rifle can provide some control, but it is very time consuming. Shooting is recommended only when you can do it safely and you are in a rural location where squirrel numbers are very low. There are no effective frightening devices or repellents that will cause ground squirrels to leave their burrows or avoid an area or crop.

References:
When to Harvest Sweet Cherry | Garden Guides http://www.gardenguides.com/69792-harvest-sweetcherry.html#ixzz2i67hPDDM How to pick Apricots. Jill Kokemuller, Demand Media. www.Homeguides.SFgate.com/pick-apricots38642.html When to Harvest Plum | Garden Guides http://www.gardenguides.com/70004-harvest-plum.html#ixzz2i6FZbNhZ Soil solarization. www.ask.com/Wiki/soil-solarization

Pests in Gardens and Landscapes: Soil Solarization for Gardens &

Landscapes. UC IPM Online: Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program. www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/pmg/pestnotes/pm74145.html

How to Manage Pests: Pests in Gardens and Landscapes: The

Ground

Squirrel. UC IPM Online: Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program. www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/pmg/pestnotes/pm7438.html

Ingels, Chuck A; Geisel, Pamela M; and Norton, Maxwell V. Home OrchardGrowing Your Own Deciduous Fruit and Nut Trees. University of CA. Agriculture and Natural Resources Publication 3485. 2007. Pgs. 19, 129, 132-33, 135.