UC Cooperative Extension Sonoma County

Orchards, Fruits, & Hops

Orchards

General Educational Resources
Fruit Tree Management Video Series:
-Introduction
-Types of Fruit Trees
-Pruning & Protection
-Nutrient & Water Management
-Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Apples

Apple Educational Resources

Apple Orchard Health: Presentation & Grower Panel Discussion Recording
UC ANR Organic Apple Production Manual
UC Davis Cost and Return Studies with Apple

Cider Apple Resources

hard-cider-in a glass
Dessert apples

Other Resources

Fruit Varieties by Paul Vossen 
Pruning Basics by Paul Vossen 
Orchard Floor Management by Vossen & Ingals 
Tree & Berry Nursery Options List 

Apple Irrigation and Fertilization 

(Coastal CA, UC ANR Cost Studies)
Irrigation: During summer months, orchards are irrigated 2 times per week using 3 acre-inches with each irrigation event. This helps promote fruit growth and sizing. 
Fertilization: Soil and leaf samples are taken once per year to help guide nutrient management practices. Soils are fertilized with ~125 lb per acre nitrogen per year. Nitrogen is best split into multiple smaller dose applications rather than only one large application. Leaf tissue analysis will indicate whether any tree nutrient deficiencies warrant additional applications, such as calcium, boron, or zinc. 

Apple Orchard Irrigation Presentation May 23, 2024 
Apple Orchard Nutrient Management Presentation June 6, 2024 
 

Local Apple Resources and Information
Sonoma County Apple Grower, U-Picks, Apple Artisans, and Cider Makers Map by Slow Food Russian River
Apples of Sonoma County Variety List by Slow Food Russian River
Gravenstein Apple Fair
 

Olives

Olive Educational Resources 
 

Organic Olive Manual


UC ANR Olive Production Manual
UC Davis Olive Center
Organic Nutrient Management in Olives 2023 
Organic Olive Farm Ecology 2023 
UC Davis Cost Study for Oil Olives

Olive Oil Standards
The Olive Oil Commission of California (OOCC) ensures labeling and quality standards of CA OO.
USDA Olive Oil and Olive-Pomace Oil Grades and Standards
CDFA Grading & Labeling Standards for Olive Oil, Sept 2014  
Summary Table of California Olive Oil Standards

Olive Oil Processing Resources
Olive Oil Cultivars
Processing & Quality
Olive Oil Production References
Olive Oil Yield
Olive Maturity Index

Olive Oil Evaluation

Growing Olives

Video: Pruning a Medium Density Olive Tree

Olive Oil Industry

Interview: Growing Production of Olives & Olive Oil in CA, Feb 2014

Citrus & Avocado

Resources from retired UCCE Advisor Cindy Fake, Sierra Nevada foothills region:
-Growing Citrus
-Fertilizing Citrus 
-Pruning Citrus

More resources:
-Drought Tip: Irrigating Citrus with Limited Water

-Avocado Handbook
-Cold Tolerant Avocado Varieties

 

Berries

Educational Resources
UC ANR Berry Production Guides
UC Davis Strawberries Cost Studies
UC Davis Blackberries Cost Studies
UC Davis Raspberries Cost Study
UC Davis Elderberries Cost Studies
Elderberry Field Day
Growing Berries in Sonoma and Marin Counties
Growing Blackberries in California
Growing Strawberries on the North Coast
Characteristics of Common Strawberry Cultivars

 

Hops

Hops Educational Resources
Small Scale & Organic Hops Production Manual
Estimated Cost of Producing Hops (Washington) 
Hop Harvest and Drying (Jason Perrault)
North West Hop Quality Group
Hop Botany and Physiology (Jason Perrault)
Hop Growers of America Variety Manual 
Hop Culture in California
Master Brewers Association of the Americas 
USA Hop Growers Association