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.
- Tree Fruit Updates
- Facebook Feed
- Home Fruit Production
- Tree Fruit Production in Virginia
- Publications
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 (Srdjan Acimovic), or Pest Management (Chris Bergh) to read previous postings.
Commercial tree fruit production updates
- Fruit Thinning for Apple Orchards in Winchester/Frederick County- May 9, 2022 May 09, 2022
- Fruit Thinning Decisions for Apple Orchards in Winchester/Frederick County- May 3, 2022. May 03, 2022
- The Carbohydrate Model & Thinning Recommendations-Central Virginia-May 1, 2022 May 01, 2022
- Apple Fruit Thinning: An Overview & Recommendations Apr 30, 2022
- Another, probably less devastating, frost event is expected tomorrow, April 18 Apr 17, 2022
- Early season applications to improve fruit size and control bitter pit in apple.  Apr 11, 2022
- Freeze Injury Updates (Winchester-March 29): Sweet cherry blooms lost to freezing temperatures; apples and peaches made it through. Mar 29, 2022
- Hard Freeze is Expected This Tuesday (March 29) Mar 27, 2022
- Accede: a new chemical thinning material for apples and peaches Mar 20, 2022
- 2021 Tree Fruit Extension Survey Oct 08, 2021
Commercial tree fruit production updates
- Chlorpyrifos Tolerances for to be Revoked in 2022 Sep 24, 2021
- Section 18 request for dinotefuran withdrawn Aug 17, 2021
- Test message 8.10.21 Aug 10, 2021
- Section 18 for use of Brigade WSB, Bifenture EC, and Bifenture 10DF against BMSB in apples, peaches, and nectarines in Virginia Aug 06, 2021
- CM and OFM Degree Days and Optimal Spray Timing, 7.26.21 Jul 26, 2021
- CM and OFM Degree Days and Optimal Spray Timing, 7.22.21 Jul 22, 2021
- CM and OFM Degree Days and Optimal Spray Timing, 7.19.21 Jul 19, 2021
- Tree Fruit Pathology Survey for Dr. Srdjan Acimovic Jul 16, 2021
- CM and OFM Degree Days and Optimal Spray Timing, 7.15.21 Jul 15, 2021
- CM and OFM Degree Days and Optimal Spray Timing, 7.12.21 Jul 12, 2021
AĆIMOVIĆ LAB
- 1. Apple Bitter Rot Pressure Builds Up Late May to Early June in Virginia with Warm Wetting Events; 2. Fungicide Timing Dictated by Critical Rain Events Jun 05, 2022
- 1. If Fire Blight Visible Use These Spray and Symptom Removal Options; 2. SB&FS Model Link and Spray Options May 24, 2022
- Research Specialist Position Open at VT’s AHS Jr AREC Plant Pathology in Winchester VA – Please Share or Suggest Candidates May 21, 2022
- 1. First SB&FS Infections Predicted/Occurred As Per NEWA Model, Varying by Location; 2. First Brown Rot Visible On Cherries May 19, 2022
- First Rust and Secondary Powdery Mildew Symptoms Visible on Apple Leaves in Winchester VA May 18, 2022
- First Blossom Blight Symptoms Visible in Winchester at AREC Trial (Infections 23-25 April) May 17, 2022
- Kick-back Materials for Last Major Scab Infections 6 & 7 May; Primary Scab Season Is Over But Rusts Continue; Fire Blight Infection 4, 5 or 7 May May 09, 2022
- 1. Fire Blight Infection Possible May 2-4 Depending on a Location; 2. Scab, Rust, Powdery Mildew Still Relevant Threats May 03, 2022
- A Few Points on Strep Use and Options for Using Apogee/Kudos in Shoot Blight and Canker Management on Apple Apr 27, 2022
- 1. Warning: Fire Blight Infections Predicted for 23, 24, 25 or 26 April Depending on Where Rain Occurs; 2. Keep Looking at The EIP Model in NEWA to Decide on Strep Application Apr 23, 2022
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.
- 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.