After consulting with the Tulare County Citrus Bloom Advisory Committee, Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner, Marilyn Kinoshita, announced that she is officially declaring the end of the citrus bloom period for citrus grown in District 2 beginning at 1am, Friday April 22.
Even though applications of pesticides toxic to bees may be made to citrus 48 hours or more after the official end of citrus bloom (petal fall) without advance notification to beekeepers, Kinoshita strongly urges pesticide applicators wishing to make applications with bloom present to either:
– apply pesticides toxic to bees at night, and/or
– notify beekeepers 48 hours in advance
Pesticide applicators wishing to make applications of pesticides toxic to bees to citrus in District 2 prior to 1am, April 22, should contact the Pesticide Department for specific application requirements. Applications before this date require a 48-hour advanced notification to any beekeeper with apiaries within one mile of the application site.
The declaration of Petal Fall DOES NOT supersede product labeling. All applicators are reminded that they must always read and follow the pesticide product labeling regarding toxicity to bees.
Citrus growers are reminded that applications of Carbaryl (“Sevin”) cannot be made until there is complete petal fall in the citrus grove.
Information regarding the District boundaries may be found at the Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer Website, http://agcomm.co.tulare.ca.us, under “Bloom Districts Map.”
Anyone having questions regarding the bloom period or the citrus/bee regulations should check the Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner website or phone the Pesticide Division at (559) 684-3352.