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Nutrient Management for Fruit Growers

Click here to view UMass Extension's nutrient management guidelines and BMPs for other agricultural commodities and green industries.

Tree Fruit

New England Tree Fruit Management Guide

New England Tree Fruit Management Guide is updated annually and includes current recommendations for nutrient management and crop fertility. The Guide is wholly online at netreefruit.org. To view the chapter relevant to Nutrient Management, see: https://netreefruit.org/apples/nutrient-management

Massachusetts Orchard Best Management Practices

The Massachusetts Orchard Best Management Practices (BMPs) Manual includes recommended practices for all aspects of Tree Fruit production.  Each crop section includes recommendations that relate to nutrient management are published and available at http://ag.umass.edu/fruit/publications/orchard-bmp-manual (includes pre-plant and bearing orchard nutrient management BMP's)

Massachusetts Commonwealth Quality (CQ) program checklist

The intention of Commonwealth Quality, a brand designed by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, is to help consumers easily find farm fresh fruits and vegetables that are safe, sustainable, and produced in an environmentally friendly way by local farms in Massachusetts.  

The CQ program checklist includes a section on nutrient management useful in the formulation of a nutrient management plan. 

To qualify for CQ, growers must meet a minimum percentage of the practice points in the CQ guidelines established by UMass Extension. The summary score sheet lists 6 fundamental nutrient management practices: Download Commonwealth Quality Checklist

Fact Sheets

Nutrient Recommendations for Apples (Fact Sheet)

Basic Nutrient Management Plan

Documents and information to complete a basic nutrient management plan (for tree fruit growers) can be found here. Note that MDAR regulates plant nutrient application and management per "An Act Relative to the Regulation of Plant Nutrients." The Act and regulations establish standards for the applications of plant nutrients to agricultural land and non-agricultural turf and lawns. MDAR fact sheet for agriculture here. 330 CMR 31.00: PLANT NUTRIENT APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR AGRICULTURAL LAND AND NON-AGRICULTURAL TURF AND LAWNS here.


Small Fruit

New England Small Fruit Management Guide

The New England Small Fruit Management Guide is updated every two years and includes current recommendations for nutrient management and crop fertility.  To order a copy of the current guide, please go to the UMass Extension Bookstore at: https://extensionsalesportal-umass.nbsstore.net/fruit or call them at 413-545-5537.

Massachusetts Small Fruit Best Management Practices

The Massachusetts Small Fruit Best Management Practices (BMPs) Manual includes recommended practices for all aspects of Small Fruit production.  Each crop section includes recommendations that relate to nutrient management are published and available at http://ag.umass.edu/fruit/publications/small-fruit-bmp-manual.

Massachusetts Commonwealth Quality (CQ) program checklist

The intention of Commonwealth Quality, a brand designed by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, is to help consumers easily find farm fresh fruits and vegetables that are safe, sustainable, and produced in an environmentally friendly way by local farms in Massachusetts.  

The CQ program checklist includes a section on nutrient management useful in the formulation of a nutrient management plan. 

To qualify for CQ, growers must meet a minimum percentage of the practice points in the CQ guidelines established by UMass Extension. The summary score sheet lists 6 fundamental nutrient management practices: Download Commonwealth Quality Checklist

Fact Sheets

To be added