Crop Load Management
Mario Miranda Sazo, Cultural Practices
Lake Ontario Fruit Program
Crop load management is the single most important yet difficult management strategy that determines the annual profitability of apple orchards. The number of fruit that remain on a tree directly affects yield, fruit size and the quality of fruit that are harvested, which largely determine crop value. If thinning is inadequate and too many fruits remain on the tree, fruit size will be small, fruit quality will be poor and flower bud initiation for the following yearââ¬â¢s crop may be either reduced or eliminated. Consequently, poor or inadequate thinning will reduce profitability in the current year and result in inadequate return bloom in the following year. Over thinning also carries economic perils since yield and crop value the year of application will be reduced and fruit size will be excessively large with reduced fruit quality due to reduced flesh firmness, reduced color and a much-reduced postharvest life. Thus, management of crop load is a balancing act between reducing crop load (yield) sufficiently to achieve optimum fruit size and adequate return bloom without reducing yield excessively.
Apples
Apricots
Asian Pears
Blueberries
Cherries
Currants
Gooseberries
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Raspberries / Blackberries
Strawberries
Unusual Fruit
Upcoming Events
2026 Tree Fruit Scouting Online Course
February 25, 2026 : Week 1 - IPM Fundamentals + Tools
This course trains tree fruit growers, orchard employees, industry professionals and interested students on the biology, identification and monitoring of major economically significant orchard pests, using an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. This course is FREE and provides an annual opportunity for growers to refresh their knowledge in advance of the growing season. Register by February 18th.
March 4, 2026 : Week 2 - Insects: Part 1
This course trains tree fruit growers, orchard employees, industry professionals and interested students on the biology, identification and monitoring of major economically significant orchard pests, using an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. This course is FREE and provides an annual opportunity for growers to refresh their knowledge in advance of the growing season. Register by February 18th.
March 11, 2026 : Week 3 - Insects: Part 2
This course trains tree fruit growers, orchard employees, industry professionals and interested students on the biology, identification and monitoring of major economically significant orchard pests, using an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. This course is FREE and provides an annual opportunity for growers to refresh their knowledge in advance of the growing season. Register by February 18th.
March 18, 2026 : Week 4 - Diseases
This course trains tree fruit growers, orchard employees, industry professionals and interested students on the biology, identification and monitoring of major economically significant orchard pests, using an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. This course is FREE and provides an annual opportunity for growers to refresh their knowledge in advance of the growing season. Register by February 18th.
March 25, 2026 : Week 5 - Weeds, Wildlife, + Wrap-Up
This course trains tree fruit growers, orchard employees, industry professionals and interested students on the biology, identification and monitoring of major economically significant orchard pests, using an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. This course is FREE and provides an annual opportunity for growers to refresh their knowledge in advance of the growing season. Register by February 18th.
2026 Eastern New York Fruit and Vegetable Conference
February 25 - February 26, 2026
Albany , NY
The Annual Eastern NY Fruit and Vegetable Conference is two days filled with informative sessions on Tree Fruit, Vegetables, Small Fruit, Grapes, Greenhouse and a special Food Safety Wash and Pack session! While there you can also visit with more than 50 exhibitors!
Northeast Fruit Consortium Winter Webinar Series
February 4, 2026 : Management of Up and Coming Strawberry Diseases in the Northeastern United States
February 11, 2026 : Kiwiberry Production in the Northeast
February 18, 2026 : Apple Color and Sunburn
February 25, 2026 : The Dating Game; Updates in Lepidopteran Mating Disruption