New York State is a significant and agriculturally diverse region with a long history of fruit production. The state’s varied geography, encompassing the Great Lakes plain and the Hudson Valley, provides microclimates suitable for cultivating numerous fruit species. Fertile soil, a temperate climate, and moderating effects from large bodies of water create an environment where fruit crops thrive. New York consistently ranks among the top states nationally for the harvest of specific fruits and berries.
Major Tree Fruits
New York is the nation’s second-largest producer of apples, making the pome fruit the state’s most commercially important tree crop. The extensive apple orchards benefit from the state’s cold winters and warm summers, conditions that promote the development of crisp texture and high sugar content. Commercial growers focus on popular varieties like McIntosh, known for its tart-sweet flavor, and the modern Honeycrisp, prized for its explosive crunch.
The primary apple-growing areas are concentrated in regions moderated by water, including the Lake Ontario Plain, the Hudson Valley, and the Champlain Valley. The Hudson Valley has a strong history of apple cultivation. Other well-adapted varieties include Fuji and Empire, the latter being a cross developed at Cornell University between Red Delicious and McIntosh.
Stone fruits constitute a portion of the state’s tree fruit output, thriving in warmer microclimates. Peaches are primarily grown in the Lower Hudson Valley and parts of Long Island. Cherries are a notable crop; sweet varieties grow in temperate Western regions and the Hudson Valley, while cold-tolerant sour cherries, such as Montmorency, are common throughout the state. Plums and pears, including varieties like Bartlett and Anjou, also demonstrate good cold tolerance, making them successful crops across various regions.
Berries and Small Fruits
New York is a significant producer of small fruits, with grapes being a major crop that ranks third nationally by volume. The state’s grape cultivation is split between table grapes, often of the Vitis labrusca species like Concord, and wine grapes, which include both native and European varietals. The Finger Lakes region is the hub for wine grape production, while the Lake Erie region is known for Concord grapes used in juice and jelly.
Strawberries are among the first small fruits to ripen in the state, offering an early-season harvest from low-lying plants. These berries are widely grown, and New York ranks in the top ten states for their production. Blueberries are also extensively cultivated, with highbush varieties, which require acidic soil, succeeding throughout the majority of the state.
Raspberries and blackberries, collectively known as brambles, are grown on trellises and bushes in all regions of New York. Raspberries are the most common bramble crop, with both summer-bearing (floricane) and fall-bearing (primocane) types available. The more tender blackberries are successfully grown in the state’s milder areas, such as the Hudson Valley and near the Great Lakes.
Seasonal Availability and Harvest Times
The fruit season begins in New York with the emergence of strawberries in the early summer. Strawberries are typically ready for picking in June, signaling the start of the consumer U-Pick season. Cherries follow soon after; sweet and tart varieties are generally harvested in July during this mid-summer period.
As summer progresses, the focus shifts to the small bush fruits, with blueberries and raspberries becoming available from July through August. Peaches and plums also ripen during this time, with the harvest window for these stone fruits spanning from late July into August. Grapes start to mature toward the end of summer, with the main harvest for both wine and table varieties occurring in September and October.
The longest fruit season belongs to the apples, which begin to ripen in late August with early varieties. The bulk of the commercial apple harvest, including popular varieties like McIntosh and Honeycrisp, takes place from September into October. Pears share a similar fall harvest window with apples, generally becoming available for picking from September through October.