The quality and quantity of your home orchard's nut crop depend on the harvesting, handling, and storage methods that you use. This publication offers some handy advice for almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachos, and chestnuts.

For almonds, chestnuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts. Nuts are delicious and good for you, and many Californians can grow them at home. Here are some simple harvest, handling and storage tips you can follow to get the most out of your home nut orchard.

Developed especially for use by backyard orchardists, rare fruit growers, and small-scale growers, The Home Orchard offers a comprehensive look at standard growing methods, as well as some innovative practices that enthusiasts have developed in recent years, some of which are uniquely suited to the small-scale grower. You will learn how trees grow, which species grow best in the different regions and soils, varieties from which to select, preparing the soil, planting, watering and fertilizing, pruning and grafting, thinning the fruit, diagnosing problems, controlling pests, and harvesting. You'll also find special attention given to organic and non-toxic pest management and fertilization methods. Key pests and diseases are identified and natural control methods are emphasized. Irrigation methods for the backyard grower are discussed and the difficult task of how often and how much water to apply is simplified. The focus is on giving the trees enough water but doing so in an efficient, water-saving manner. Included are hundreds of photographs and diagrams that clearly show how to produce the best crops. Photos of several practices, such as key budding and grafting methods, are depicted in step-by-step photos. No other publication provides this breadth and depth of coverage --

Abstract: Biological and physical practices in marketing vegetables and fruits have benefited from research with horticultural crops on the preparation, packaging, distribution and storage of fresh produce. Study of post-harvest physiology and control of crop diseases has resulted in increased production of fresh vegetables, including potatoes and melons. Marketing of commercial crop includes harvesting, sorting, grading, packaging, transport,storage and protection of the vegetabes during wholesale-retail distribution. Suitable environments for thevegetables at each phase of marketing are described to provide information for workers in the vegetable industry.