The Almond Doctor Field Note is a new series of posts that will cover observations made from the field by staff research assistants of the University of California Cooperative Extension office of Merced County. While Field Note posts may reference completed or on-going research, its intent is share notable observations from the field, not to summarize research findings or describe current recommended farming practices.  Many people are aware that soil types play a significant role with tree vigor and productivity, as well as, affect management decisions relating to irrigation, pre-plant fumigation, fertigation practices, etc. However, many people do not consider how slight changes to soil composition and textures may affect trees and other cropping systems. To help illustrate this point, let us look at two problems recently faced by one Merced County grower with an almond orchard on sandy soil. The grower had a short-term and a long-term problem associated with the orchard. The short-term problem was the tree’s leaves were turning yellow. The long-term problem was variable growth and vigor in different sections of the orchard. Soil type, topography, and management practices were consistent throughout the orchard. What could have been the cause of the problems? The type and extent of yellowing was consistent throughout the orchard and within the tree canopy. The pale leaf color and lack of canopy growth within the orchard suggested that the trees were getting too much water. Typically, yellowing leaves only in the inner canopy indicate too little water, while consistent yellowing across the entire canopy indicate too much water (baring effects from diseases and pests). The conclusion of excessive watering was supported by heavily saturate soil samples days after the last irrigation event. While excessive water explained the yellowing leaves, it did not fully explain why different sections of the orchard were