Morgan Hill Cherry Yield Devastated by Heat
- Warm winter and recent heat wave caused severe cherry crop failure at Andy's Orchard and other local grower locations. - Growers from Coyote Valley to Hollister report one of the poorest cherry harvests on record, shortening U-pick seasons. - Fewer cherries could mean shorter seasons, possible U-pick closures, and higher prices for locals (morganhilltimes.com).
Cherry growers in Morgan Hill say this year’s crop is one of the lightest they can remember after a warm winter and an April heat spike disrupted fruit set. (morganhilltimes.com) Morgan Hill Times reported April 22 that Andy Mariani of Andy’s Orchard and other growers from Coyote Valley to Hollister are seeing severe losses, with some U-pick operations expected to shorten their seasons or skip opening blocks altogether. Andy’s Orchard is a major local cherry grower with roots in the Santa Clara Valley dating to the 1930s. (morganhilltimes.com) (andysorchard.com) Cherries need winter cold before they can bloom and set a full crop in spring. The University of California’s Santa Clara County master gardeners say Bing cherries need about 700 chill hours, and warm days above about 65 to 70 degrees can work against that accumulation. (ucanr.edu) In Santa Clara County, cherries are normally harvested in May and June, depending on variety. When trees do not get enough winter chill, they can bloom unevenly and produce less fruit even before spring heat arrives. (ucanr.edu 1) (ucanr.edu 2) That leaves growers exposed to a second hit when hot weather arrives during bloom and early fruit development. A University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources review says California agriculture is already being squeezed by rising temperatures, heat waves and declining chill hours. (ucanr.edu) The poor 2026 outlook follows another recent bad year for local cherries. Santa Clara County’s 2023 crop report said cherry value fell 41.5% to $4.35 million after heavy spring rain hurt that harvest. (morganhilltimes.com) Andy’s Orchard has built much of its business around cherries and other stone fruit on roughly 60 acres it owns in northeast Morgan Hill, plus another 15 acres it has leased. Morgan Hill Times previously reported cherries are the orchard’s top crop. (morganhilltimes.com) The orchard is still planning 2026 tasting-and-tour events that feature cherries on June 21 and July 5, a sign that some fruit is expected even in a short year. The difference for customers is likely to be volume: fewer cherries, tighter picking windows and less room for error on timing. (andysorchard.com) For South County shoppers, that usually means the same thing every light-crop year: shorter U-pick seasons, fewer boxes at farm stands and higher prices for the cherries that make it to market. (morganhilltimes.com)
