As Central California permanent crops move through aggressive spring growth and early fruit/nut development, orchards are entering one of the most critical nutritional periods of the season. Trees are demanding high energy, strong carbohydrate movement, balanced vegetative growth, and consistent nutrient availability to support crop load, sizing, kernel development, and overall orchard health.

Across almonds, pistachios, cherries, and stone fruit, the focus remains maximizing plant metabolism, supporting root activity, improving nutrient efficiency, and preparing orchards for upcoming heat and water stress conditions.

Key Nutritional Priorities

1. Maintain Energy & Carbohydrate Movement

Permanent crops are rapidly utilizing phosphorus and magnesium during:

• Fruit sizing
• Nut fill initiation
• Shoot growth
• Root expansion
• Early kernel development

Axiom Ion Recommendations:

• Basilic Thunder (6-19-4)

Ortho-phosphate phosphorus supporting:

• ATP production
• Plant energy
• Root activity
• Carbohydrate movement
• Fruit and nut development

• Axiom Ion Magnesium

Supports:

• Chlorophyll production
• Photosynthesis
• Sugar formation
• Energy transfer
• Overall metabolic efficiency

• Atlas

49 Independent Fermented Strains designed to:

• Increase nutrient cycling
• Stimulate microbial activity
• Improve nitrogen efficiency
• Support root health
• Increase nutrient uptake during stress periods

2. Support Fruit Size, Nut Fill & Quality

As orchards move into sizing and nut fill stages, calcium and potassium become increasingly important for:

• Cell expansion
• Fruit firmness
• Kernel development
• Shell integrity
• Sugar movement
• Overall crop quality

Axiom Ion Calcium

Our lactate-bound calcium helps:

• Strengthen cell walls
• Improve tissue integrity
• Support scaffold strength
• Enhance root growth
• Improve nutrient movement throughout the tree

Especially important in:

• Almond shell hardening
• Pistachio nut fill
• Cherry firmness
• Stone fruit sizing and finish quality

Kalibrate

Supports:

• Sugar transport
• Water regulation
• Heat stress management
• Fruit and nut sizing
• Uniform maturity

3. Maintain Soil Health & Irrigation Efficiency

Many Central Valley orchards continue dealing with:

• Tight soils
• High bicarbonates
• Salinity accumulation
• Reduced water penetration
• Root zone compaction

Axiom Soil Backbone:

• Atlas
• Axiom Ion Calcium
• Basilic Thunder

Designed to improve:

• Soil structure
• CEC
• Water infiltration
• Root expansion
• Nutrient availability
• Irrigation efficiency

Healthy soils remain critical as orchards move toward hotter summer conditions.

4. Micronutrient Demand Increasing

As crop load increases, micronutrient demand rises significantly.

Key Nutrients:

• Zinc
• Boron
• Manganese
• Iron

Critical for:

• Hormone activity
• Flowering potential
• Carbohydrate metabolism
• Nut and fruit sizing
• Pollen tube development
• Enzyme activation

Axiom Ion Micronutrients

Our lactate-bound micronutrients are designed for:

• Improved foliar uptake
• Less tie-up in calcareous soils
• Faster plant availability
• Better stress tolerance

Pest & Disease Pressure Update

Current Pressure Areas:

• Mites
• Aphids
• Thrips
• Scale
• NOW pressure beginning in almonds and pistachios
• Bacterial diseases in cherries and stone fruit
• Hull rot concerns developing later with excessive nitrogen programs

Stress, uneven irrigation, and nutritional imbalance continue increasing susceptibility across many orchards.

Plant Health & Defense Strategy

Finale

Supports:

• Overall plant defense
• Environmental stress reduction
• Canopy health
• Improved plant resilience during heat events

Axiom Ion Calcium

Helps strengthen:

• Cell walls
• Fruit and nut integrity
• Scaffold tissue
• Root systems

Axiom Ion Zinc

Supports:

• Hormone regulation
• Enzyme activation
• Stress management
• Carbohydrate metabolism

Balanced nutrition remains one of the strongest tools for reducing stress-related disease and insect pressure.

Crop-Specific Focus

Almonds

Key Focus:

• Kernel development
• Hull split preparation
• Potassium demand
• Nitrogen efficiency
• Heat management

Backbone Program:

• Basilic Thunder
• Kalibrate
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Atlas

Pistachios

Key Focus:

• Nut fill
• Shell integrity
• Water regulation
• Alternate bearing stress
• Root activity

Backbone Program:

• Calcium
• Kalibrate
• Zinc
• Magnesium
• Atlas

Cherries

Key Focus:

• Fruit firmness
• Sugar movement
• Cracking resistance
• Shelf life
• Fruit finish quality

Backbone Program:

• Calcium
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Zinc
• Atlas

Stone Fruit

Key Focus:

• Fruit sizing
• Color development
• Sugar accumulation
• Canopy balance
• Heat stress tolerance

Backbone Program:

• Basilic Thunder
• Kalibrate
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Micronutrient package

Overall Central California Permanent Crop Strategy

The strongest orchards this season will focus on:

• Maintaining plant energy
• Maximizing nutrient efficiency
• Supporting strong root systems
• Improving water movement
• Managing heat and salinity stress
• Building crop quality and pack-outs

Axiom Ag continues helping growers across Central California improve:

• Fruit and nut quality
• Kernel size
• Brix
• Pack-outs
• Soil structure
• Water efficiency
• Orchard longevity

through our lactate-bound Axiom Ion nutrition platform for both conventional and organic production systems.