For fruit, vegetable and other specialty crop farmers, bees are the most important pollinators of many crops.
Commercial fruit production in Minnesota
Extension fruit and vegetable production educators and specialists work with growers to enhance profitability, add value, and maintain food security through local production and marketing of fruit and vegetable crops in Minnesota.
We work with:
- Commercial fruit producers.
- The commercial processing industry.
- New immigrant farmers.
In partnership with grower organizations and commodity groups, we conduct research and communicate research-based information to growers throughout Minnesota through our educational programs, field days, grower roundtables, print and web publications, newsletters and radio talks, and one-on-one consultations.
20-25 million
Pounds of apples grown annually
$34.1 million
Economic value of fruit/vegetable market
100+
Fruit introductions by the University of Minnesota
Growing guides
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Vineyard production and grape farming
Grape production has a rich history in Minnesota, and the University of Minnesota is known for its contributions to breeding and developing modern cold-hardy grape varieties through its fruit breeding program. Find University guidance and resources for grape farming, establishing a vineyard, and enology.
Video: Education and research to grow the Minnesota wine grape industry (2:29)
Archived PDF guides
Grape IPM Guide for Minnesota Producers (PDF 2011)
Raspberry farming in Minnesota
Managing a raspberry crop
- Raspberry types and varieties
- Planting raspberries
- Irrigation and nutrient management
- Pruning and training raspberries
- Weed management
- High tunnel raspberry production
Solving problems in raspberry production
Archived PDF guides
- Organic High Tunnel Raspberry Production (PDF) 2021
Strawberry farming in Minnesota
- Choosing a strawberry production system
- How strawberry plants grow
- Day-neutral strawberries
- Marketing and selling strawberries in Minnesota
Starting a new strawberry field
Managing a strawberry crop
- Protecting strawberries from frost and freeze
- Nutrient management
- Harvest
- Irrigation
- Renovation
- Adding and removing straw mulch
Solving problems in your strawberry field
Archived PDF guides
Foliar nutrient testing — Testing plant leaves for nutrient content indicates whether the plants have optimal levels of essential nutrients or need fertilizer.
Interpreting your compost report — Testing compost helps growers to make informed management decisions. We recommend that farmers and gardeners have their compost tested at a lab.
Interpreting soil tests for fruit and vegetable crops — After you receive a soil test report, the next step is to interpret it and determine what, if any, amendments to add.
Soil testing on fruit and vegetable farms — Specialty crop growers should test their soil at least every 2-3 years, and every year in high-value production environments such as high tunnels.
- . (Video; 2015; 02:23) Manage nutrients by sampling your soils using proper techniques and following application guidelines.
Understanding the soil test report — A soil test report delivers the results of the analytical measurement of the nutrients in the soil. The laboratory analysis can be confusing. We break down the language to help you understand what the numbers mean.
- High tunnel soil health and nutrient management
- Introduction to using the USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey
- Drought monitoring and irrigation for apples and grapes
- Hail netting for apple orchards
Achived PDF guides
Minnesota Hardy
The University of Minnesota has been breeding apples, berries, grapes, ornamental trees and shrubs, flowers, and grasses for over 150 years.
Cold-hardy honeyberries
Haskap, also known as honeyberries, captivate consumers and bring cold-hardy fruit-producing states closer together to share knowledge.
Apple pruning workshops
We cover the fundamentals of pruning apple trees, including key pruning principles, techniques, and decision-making considerations, as well as best practices for tool care.
Growing cold climate grapes: Vineyard management
Extension offers this free, web-based curriculum to provide quality educational materials on growing cold-hardy grapes in Minnesota. This curriculum is perfect for training new staff or reviewing the basics.
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