Central Valley farmers have always required a level of adaptability. Recent seasons have made one thing increasingly clear: conditions are becoming more unpredictable, and decisions need to be made faster than ever before. This past March saw record breaking heat spanning across the Central Valley while April is experiencing forecasted storms at the time of this writing. Intense heat can push crops ahead of schedule and increase water demand almost overnight. All the while, a sudden rain event can shift conditions again, disrupting plans and forcing growers to rethink irrigation timing. These rapid swings create a challenging environment where relying on static schedules and frequent field visits are no longer practical. Instead, successful operations are moving toward a more responsive approach. One that allows irrigation to adjust alongside real-time conditions in the field. Below are four ways real-time monitoring and automation are helping growers adapt to changing conditions and m

Two years ago, I wrote an article on AI in the vineyard for WBM. Feel free to read that article here…if you want. Otherwise, my basic argument was that although AI will eventually play a role in how we farm grapes, it’s a long way off compared to other industries and even other crops. We who grow grapes are the last ones to see such innovation. And since then, AI has grown exponentially. If two years ago you were playing around with Chat GPT to create bizarrely distorted images and learn about tax loopholes, you can now go onto the likes of Claude and have it just create a website for you from a single prompt. Chatbots like this have essentially eliminated the need for entry-level coders. However Claude is a computer, so it makes sense that it’s gotten very good at writing code for other computers. Similarly Chat GPT has digested the entire internet, and curates any answer for you by plucking it from its vast network of information. Sometimes its correct, and other t

Bloom signals more than color in the field. It marks the transition into one of the most critical irrigation periods of the year. As crops move from dormancy into active growth, water demand begins to shift quickly. Root systems wake up. Canopies expand. Evapotranspiration increases. What worked during winter or early pre-season conditions will not carry you through bloom and fruit set. This is the moment to recalibrate. Start with a System Check Before peak demand hits, take time to evaluate your irrigation infrastructure: Inspect valves, filters, and pressure regulators Confirm flow meter accuracy Review pump performance under load Test soil moisture sensors and telemetry connectivity Verify that automation schedules match current crop stage Small inconsistencies in early season can become major inefficiencies during full production. Match Irrigation to Crop Physiology During bloom, consistency matters. Over-irrigation can reduce oxygen in the root zone and impact nutrient uptak

HotSpot AG is excited to welcome World Ag Expo attendees to our Training Center for an educational session as part of this year’s World Ag Expo Tours on February 10th. The tour stop offers attendees a chance to learn how growers utilize innovative HotSpot AG solutions to support best practices in water conservation through irrigation automation and optimize nutrition management with automated variable rate fertigation injection skids. Guests will be given an exclusive opportunity to witness a live demonstration and see how the HotSpot AG technology seamlessly executes complex irrigation and fertigation schedules with just a touch of a button. Within the Training Center, a condensed layout of the irrigation pipeline offers viewers a unique opportunity to see firsthand how the HotSpot software communicates in real-time with equipment out in the field. When you visit the training center, you can expect: Water savings through precise scheduling Energy reduction with pump and VFD opt

Across the vineyard industry, margins are under pressure. Rising labor costs, limited workforce availability, and increasing water expenses are forcing growers to take a closer look at where efficiencies can be gained. While market conditions may be outside a vineyard’s control, how resources are managed in the field is not. For many operations, irrigation remains one of the largest opportunities to reduce both labor and water costs without compromising vine health or fruit quality. Labor remains a growing challenge Labor continues to be one of the most difficult costs for vineyards to manage. Irrigation tasks often require daily attention, including valve adjustments, system checks, troubleshooting issues, and traveling between blocks. During peak season, these tasks can consume significant time and require experienced personnel to be in multiple places at once. Even well-run operations feel the strain when crews spend hours driving to sites simply to make routine changes or co

Santa Rosa, Calif., January 6, 2026—Lumo, the leader in precision irrigation technology for specialty crop growers, today announced a new strategic partnership with Wyatt Irrigation Supply, the most trusted leader in irrigation since 1982, to drive expansion and standardization across the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma. Winegrowers today are reeling, facing unprecedented pressure from rapidly rising labor costs and shortages, soft market demand, and increased water regulation. To survive, winegrowers must adapt and invest in ways to improve fruit quality and vineyard efficiency. Improving irrigation systems with a proven precision irrigation platform like Lumo is one of the highest return ways to improve fruit quality, while also reducing labor costs and system risks. Wyatt has seen countless automation solutions come and go over the years, making the same promises to growers over and over again. They are keenly aware of the risks and have been cautious when vetting new technologi

Introducing the Verdi Smart Valve Precision irrigation depends on one thing: knowing that every irrigation is delivered exactly as planned. For specialty crop growers managing multiple blocks, varied valve sizes, and rising production costs, achieving that level of control and visibility has often been difficult. Verdi’s new Smart Valve changes that. Each wireless unit enables remote control, real-time irrigation verification, flow-based scheduling, and water-use reporting, all powered by the Verdi Dashboard. It’s available in a full range of sizes from 1 inch to 4 inches. Built for Today’s Challenges Growers across specialty crops, from orchards and vineyards to berries and vegetables, are dealing with rising input costs, labor shortages, and increasing pressure to optimize resources. Many are navigating tighter margins while striving to maintain quality and compliance. The Smart Valve fills a critical gap in the market for growers who need automation that&rsq

Vineyards communicate long before the fruit shows any stress. Subtle shifts in canopy color, changes in shoot vigor, and even small variations in soil texture can reveal how each block is responding to the season. For growers, the challenge is catching those signals early enough to act with confidence. That’s where strong water monitoring makes a difference. With tools that track soil moisture, water flow, pump activity, and irrigation timing across the ranch, growers can see where vines are holding steady and where attention is needed. Instead of guessing based on visual cues alone, they can match irrigation to the real conditions happening beneath the surface. This approach supports more than efficiency. It protects vine health during heat events, helps stabilize fruit quality, and builds a clearer understanding of each block’s behavior over time. Every vineyard has its own pattern and rhythm. When growers can follow those patterns consistently, they gain a new level of

Harvest season is a critical time for every vineyard, and a single day of downtime can put an entire vintage at risk. At Suburban Propane, we understand that your work doesn't stop, and neither do we. That's why our 24/7 customer service and reliable delivery of portable propane are designed to give you peace of mind when it matters most. How Suburban Propane Supports Your Harvest: 24/7/365 Live Support: When you call us, you speak to a live, highly-trained US based representative—not an answering service. We're always on call to assist with urgent deliveries or service needs, day or night. Reliable, Safe, Propane Delivery,   Whether you're powering forklifts to move grapes, generators to protect against power outages & spikes in electricity prices, or water heaters for sanitation, we ensure a steady supply of propane so your operations never miss a beat. Portable Propane Solutions: Our portable propane tanks and reliable delivery service make it easy

Vineyard owners and grape growers lie awake at night trying to map a path to the future through today’s volatile market. Worries that run through their minds include the overflowing bulk market that is cancelling contracts and lowering grape prices, and the higher pay rates and immigration raids that are compounding an already stressed labor supply. Two clear steps forward are to lower operational costs and reduce existing staff workload. Automating irrigation management is a logical way to achieve this, as it reduces labor, water usage and materials costs. But small or mid-sized growers often forego these benefits because the automation price tag outweighs the return on investment. Instead, 95% of growers still choose to continue irrigating manually. Verdi addresses this ROI concern with affordable irrigation automation technology that growers and their teams can easily install themselves without any training. What makes Verdi unique is how its smart hardware and easy