Plums
Nearly all of the commercially grown plums in the U.S. are hybrids of the Japanese plum introduced in the 1870s and hybridized by Luther Burbank in the late 1800s. New York produces 584 acres of plums while eastern NY is responsible for 152 acres of the total. California dominates production due to mild winters and minimal rainfall. Consumption of fresh plums in the United States hovers at just under one pound per person, although, like many other fruit, health benefits and great flavor continue to keep consumers interested.
Over the last 20 years, Cornell research and extension projects have helped growers increase yields and fruit quality by increasing tree densities and improving labor efficiency. We estimate that profitability of new high density orchards is 100 to 300% greater than the traditional low-density orchards. For more information about tree fruit production, please visit the Cornell Tree Fruit website at http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/tree_fruit/index.htm.
Relevant Events
2026 Champlain Valley Summer Orchard Field Tour
July 15, 2026 : 2026 Champlain Valley Summer Orchard Field Tour
Keeseville, NY
2026 Hudson Valley Berry Field Day
July 15, 2026 : 2026 Hudson Valley Berry Field Day
Kinderhook, NY
Rulfs Orchard Vegetable and Berry Field Meeting
August 4, 2026
Peru, NY
Field Day at Philia Farm
August 6, 2026
Johnstown, NY
Capital Region Orchard Twilight Meeting
August 11, 2026
Rexford, NY
2026 Fruit and Vegetable Conference: Tree Fruit Program
Mike Basedow, Tree Fruit Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Orchard Video Resources: Winter Webinar Recordings and More
Mike Basedow, Tree Fruit Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Tis the season of webinars! If you're looking for recordings of past tree fruit webinars Cornell ENYCHP has been involved in, they could be in one of a few locations….. we compiled them all into this post for you. Simply click on the webinar title to be taken directly to the recording. We recommend bookmarking this page if you'd like to come back to them in the future, and we will continue to update this listing as new webinars occur.
SWD Insecticides Quick Guide 2020
Laura McDermott, Team Leader, Small Fruit and Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
June 2020 - Labeled Insecticides for Control of Spotted Wing Drosophila in New York Berry Crops - Quick Guide
Plum Variety Picks for New York
Mike Basedow, Tree Fruit Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
This 2001 NY Fruit Quarterly article by Robert Andersen and Jay Freer describes recommended plum varieties for growing in New York.
Stone Fruit IPM Webinar
Mike Basedow, Tree Fruit Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Prepping Your Air Blast Sprayer for Spring
Mike Basedow, Tree Fruit Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Sprayers must be regularly checked over to ensure that proper maintenance has been carried out and that no outstanding repairs need to be done. Faulty sprayers contribute to increased drift levels and waste money through inefficiency and overuse of chemicals.
2019 Eastern New York Fruit & Vegetable Conference Tree Fruit Presentations
Presentations from the 2019 ENYCHP Eastern New York Fruit & Vegetable Conference held February 19-21 for the tree fruit sections.
2018 Eastern New York Fruit & Vegetable Conference Tree Fruit Presentations
Presentations from the 2018 ENYCHP Eastern New York Fruit & Vegetable Conference held February 20th and 21st for the tree fruit sections.
New fungicides labeled for use in tree fruit - all Special Local Needs Labels
Deborah Breth, Integrated Pest Management
Lake Ontario Fruit Program
The new class of fungicides, SDHI's, are now registered for use in tree fruit. Fontelis was registered last season, and Luna Tranquility and Merivon were registered this spring. They are all registered in NY as "Restricted Use" fungicides. Due to the special restrictions for use in NY, they also are Special Local Need registrations. In order to apply these materials you must have a copy of the label and the SLN label in your possession. You can access these SLN and label to study or print at these links.
The Commercial Storage of Fruits, Vegetables, and Florist and Nursery Stocks
Craig Kahlke, Team Leader, Fruit Quality Management
Lake Ontario Fruit Program
The information contained in this preliminary version of HB-66 has been assembled from information prepared by nearly 100 authors from around the world. The version posted here is a revised copy of a Draft made available online in November 2002 for author and public review and comment.
Apples
Apricots
Asparagus
Beets
Blueberries
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Cherries
Cucumbers
Dry Beans
Eggplant
Ethnic Vegetables
Garlic
Grapes
Horseradish
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce / Leafy Greens
Melons
Nectarines
Onions
Parsnips
Peaches
Pears
Peas
Peppers
Plums
Potatoes
Pumpkins / Gourds
Radishes
Raspberries / Blackberries
Rhubarb
Rutabaga
Snap Beans
Squash - Summer
Squash- Winter
Strawberries
Sweet Corn
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Turnips
Upcoming Events
2026 Champlain Valley Summer Orchard Field Tour
July 15, 2026 : 2026 Champlain Valley Summer Orchard Field Tour
Keeseville, NY
Join the ENYCHP and Cornell scientists on July 15 for our annual Champlain Valley Summer Orchard Meeting! This year we will be meeting at Hart Apple Farm to learn about the varieties they are growing in one of their newer plantings, hear updates from faculty and extension agents on their current research projects, and view a few of Mike's local thinning projects firsthand.
DEC credits in categories 22, 1A, and 10 will be available. Refreshments will be provided.
Free to attend, however we do ask that you register ahead so we know how many people to expect. Rain date is July 16.
2026 Hudson Valley Berry Field Day
July 15, 2026 : 2026 Hudson Valley Berry Field Day
Kinderhook, NY
Join specialists Heather Kase, Scott Cosseboom, Nathaniel Westrick, and Anna Wallis for updates and a review of berry phenology and pest management. Presentations will be given on berry horticultural and pest management considerations for strawberries, blueberries, brambles, and minor fruit crops. Light refreshment & snacks will be provided. Registration is encouraged but there is no fee for attendance. 1.00 DEC credit will be available in categories 10, 1a, and 22
Rulfs Orchard Vegetable and Berry Field Meeting
August 4, 2026
Peru, NY
Join CCE vegetable specialists Elisabeth Hodgdon and Chuck Bornt for a vegetable and berry field meeting at Rulfs Orchard, in Peru, NY. We'll tour the farm's fields and talk about integrated pest management of sweet corn and cucurbit crops. Then, we'll view a drone demonstration and discuss new technologies for pesticide application and spotted wing drosophila management in berries. Light refreshments will be provided. A rain date will be announced if adverse weather is predicted.