Tree Fruit

We are a collective team of Extension specialists and agents who deliver year-round programming for the Commonwealth’s tree fruit producers. We provide our stakeholders with the latest research-based information for making sustainable management decisions on their farms. We also develop resources for beginning farmers and home fruit enthusiasts. Our information is disseminated through this website, Extension publications, workshops, on-farm meetings, and one-on-one conversations.

Seasonal updates from Virginia Tech's tree fruit extension specialists and agents. Click on a title to read the full post. Or, visit the blog homepage for Horticulture (Sherif Sherif), Disease Updates (Keith Yoder), or Pest Management (Chris Bergh) to read previous postings.

Commercial tree fruit production updates

Early threats by fire blight, apple scab and the rusts Apr 18, 2018
Regarding the freeze warning tonight (4/18/2018) Apr 17, 2018
Revision to 2018 Spray Bulletin for Cherries at Petal Fall Apr 14, 2018
Rapid bud development; powdery mildew, scab and rust activity Apr 13, 2018
Early season update Apr 12, 2018
Pheromone Trap Catch Apr 11, 2018
It's time! Apr 02, 2018
Degree Days Feb 16, 2018
Continued codling moth captures at Winchester AREC Aug 30, 2017
Summer disease update- bitter rot pressures continue Aug 26, 2017

Virginia Tech offers a number of publications with information about growing fruit for personal consumption. These publications are written by our extension specialists and contain research-based information.

Tree Fruit in the Home Garden

Small Fruit in the Home Garden

Pest Management Guide: Home Grounds and Animals. The Pest Management Guide contains information on how to control pests and diseases of many crops, including fruit trees.
A home fruit spray guide organizes the printed information into table and can be used as a quick reference guide.
The Mid-Atlantic Orchard Monitoring Guide is the go-to resource for information about insect and disease identification and monitoring, including many color photographs.
Additional information about gardening can be found under the Home and Garden Section of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Publications Website.

Virginia’s varied topography and large geographical area allows for the production of tree fruits in many parts of the Commonwealth, with the majority of orchards located in the Northern Shenandoah Valley and along the slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The 2007 U.S. Census of Agriculture reported 13,774 acres of apple, 1,538 acres of peach and nectarine, 171 acres of pear, and 99 acres of sweet and tart cherry orchard in the Commonwealth (USDA-NASS, 2007). Nationally, Virginia is the sixth largest producer of apples.

Between 2009 and 2011, the average annual value of Virginia’s apple crop was $35 million, while the peach crop was valued at $5 million over that same period (USDA-NASS, 2012).

About 70% of the apples grown in Virginia are used for processed products, but fresh market apples account for 57% of the farmgate value. These figures do not include value added through processing into products such as fruit slices, applesauce, juice and cider, vinegar, and alcoholic beverages, which are all important for the overall profitability of orchards.

Additional economic and social benefits of Virginia’s orchards add significant value to fruit production in the state. Current production trends indicate increased tree-fruit production for direct marketing and agritourism enterprises.

Visit Virginia Apples to learn more about commercial fruit production in Virginia. Find additional statistics about Virginia orchards in the 2005 Virginia Orchard Survey and through the USDA-NASS Virginia Field Office.