Grass rows protect plums from sunburn

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Valley farmers go to great lengths to protect their crop from the intense heat.

One strategy to prevent sunburn in fruit calls for growing grass in between rows of a plum orchard.

The reddish purple color shouldn't develop in these French prune plums until August. The intense heat has caused sunburn in some of Earl Giacolini's crop in Easton.

Giacolini protects his orchard through a unique practice. Earl grows grass and clover in between every row of plum trees.

He explained, "One, it helps water penetration. Two, on days like this it keeps the temperature down. It also helps so that the sun does not reflect back up on the fruit."

The green grass and shade helps keep the orchard cooler than most.

Giacolini said the integrated pest management plan has been very effective for 20 years. "When we don't cultivate we don't make much dust and therefore we get less pests like aphid and mites. Particularly mite this time of year."

It is also important to keep branches from spreading out too much to protect the plums.

Giacolini said, "We shape them like an upside down bell so that there's sun that comes in the middle of the tree but if you get too big of a crop and it gets too hot and the trees go over like this the trees and the plums sunburn."

Giacolini's plums will eventually be dried and sold under the Sunsweet brand. This year's crop is heavy so hopefully sunburn damage won't be widespread.