Published January 15, 2011 Over the past 25 years, 130,000 acres of orchards have been replanted in Washington State, requiring a total investment of $1.7 billion, estimates Tim Smith, Washington State University Extension educator in north central Washington. Sometimes, the trees grew well and recouped the investment, but occasionally they didn’t because of replant disease. This disease can affect any tree fruit that is planted in ground where tree fruits have been grown before. It results in poor tree growth and productivity because of a build-up of microorganisms in the soil. Recommended treatment is fumigation of the ground before planting. […]