Based in Alixan, in the Drôme region, grower Anthony Oboussier is looking forward to the crucial March-April period with relative relief, while remaining vigilant. Traditionally marked by the risk of spring frosts, the weather looks rather mild this year.
© EARL Les Chambres
"There is no risk of frost in the forecast, but we remain vigilant"
© EARL Les Chambres
Anthony Oboussier prepared a fortnight ago by deploying his anti-freeze resources, including an anti-freeze tower installed after the frosts of 2021, as well as heaters. "In the end, I did not need to turn them on," he explains. In fact, the Rhône Valley was hit by a discontinuous northerly wind for around ten days. "We were very lucky. We came close to 0 degrees, but the wind prevented the frost from settling. This morning, another 15 to 20 km/h wind was enough to keep the temperatures up," explains Anthony Oboussier. The forecast now predicts a gradual rise in temperatures.
Apricots: "very good flowering for most varieties"
The outlook for apricot production is generally favorable. "Most varieties are flowering very well, with good pollination, helped by the sunny weather and mild temperatures," explains Anthony Oboussier. However, there is one phenomenon that is causing concern this year: a significant physiological drop, which is difficult to explain. "We are doing a lot of sorting at the moment. There are major drops that we cannot necessarily explain. We had a good winter, with enough hours of cold, and the mild temperature may have come too quickly afterwards. But we are going to end up with varieties that are underloaded, even with little thinning to be expected."
© EARL Les Chambres
Peaches and nectarines: "We are heading for a normal harvest"
"For peaches and nectarines, we are in the same situation as for apricots, with very good flowering overall," explains Anthony Oboussier. "Pollination conditions have been good, and we are currently at the stage where the petals and ruffles are falling off. If everything goes according to plan, we are heading for a normal harvest."
Red kiwis: Time for thinning
Anthony Oboussier is preparing his second red kiwi harvest this year. "This week, we started thinning the flower buds. This is essential work for this variety, which is reputed to be difficult to size. "The work starts before flowering, if we do not want to end up with very small fruit." At the same time, the grower also continues with his citrus trials. "The plants will be two years old in May. As for the fruit, this will have to wait a little longer to avoid exhausting the trees."
For more information:
Anthony Oboussier
EARL Les Chambres
Phone: +33 (0) 6 75 85 59 51
[email protected]
