Purpose: These sessions will focus on production that falls between backyard gardening and farm-market vendors. Our goal is to strengthen statewide coverage by equipping EMGs to better handle non-commercial inquiries (like those that come to your helpdesk or plant clinics), while also supporting VCE agents in addressing questions from smaller-scale producers.
2025 Webinar Schedule
August 19th, 2:00-3:00pm | VCE Fruit Webinar Series : Economic Thresholds and IPM
This session will introduce the foundational principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) with a focus on economic thresholds—key decision-making tools that help determine when pest control measures are justified. Participants will learn how to apply simple formulas and calculations to assess pest pressure and make cost-effective, environmentally sound management choices for fruit production in Virginia, from backyard gardens to small market operations.
Register for the August 19th Webinar here
September 23rd, 2:00-3:00 pm | VCE Fruit Webinar Series: Apples
With Dr. Sherif Sherif, Extension Pomologist, Virginia Tech. More information to come.
Register for the September 23rd Webinar here
Webinar Archive
VCE Fruit Webinar Series Introduction: Fruit Science
This webinar explores the fundamentals of fruit production, from understanding fruit types and cultivar selection to essential growing considerations and pollination dynamics.
Blueberries with Bill Cline
This session is your A-Z on blueberry production. Please watch the Fruit Science webinar and/or read Chapter 10 of the VCE Gardener Manual so you’re caught up for this webinar. Featuring Bill Cline, extension specialist at North Carolina State University and the blueberry extension horticulturist for North Carolina, this session will be a deep dive on growing blueberries.
Peach Resources
Growing Peaches at Home with Andy Rollins
In this session, Andy Rollins of South Carolina Extension covers peach growing basics for home gardeners. Peaches are a great choice for Virginia gardeners interested in fruit production–Andy will give us all tips for a successful peach crop!
About the Speaker: Andy Rollins is the Horticultural Agent for the upstate of SC. He is specialized in commercial fruit and vegetable production and assists new growers with problem diagnosis and multiple decisions including soil testing/preparation, location/size of the planting, spray choices, calibration, and variety selection. Andy is actively involved in research projects with Clemson University as well as USDA-ARS specialists, and also does some new product testing.