The influences of ground cover (synthetic fabric or straw mulch) and drip irrigation on soil fertility, mineral nutrition, and productivity of sweet cherry trees are largely unknown in the Pacific Northwest, USA. A field experiment was initialized in 2001 on a sweet cherry orchard that was planted in April 2001 at the Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Hood River, Oregon. Two ground cover systems [2.4-m wide synthetic fabric cover made of black, woven polypropylenec, and control (no cover, but with herbicide applications in the tree row area)] were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with eight replications. The other field experiment was established on the Mel Omeg's orchard that was planted in 1998 at The Dalles, Oregon in 2005. Two irrigation systems (drip irrigation, micro sprinkler irrigation) and four ground management systems [straw mulch, white fabric cover, black fabric cover, and control (no mulch or fabric cover, but with herbicide applications in the tree row area)] were evaluated in a split-plot design with four replicates. Soil fertility, plant mineral nutrition, tree water use, and fruit yield and quality were measured in both trials. Visual evaluation of fruit surface pitting was conducted after the fruits had been stored in a cold storage room at 33oC for four weeks for both trials. On the trial at Hood River, significant effects of synthetic black fabric cover on soil available N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Zn, Mn, Cu, pH, and organic matter were rarely observed regardless of year. Except the first year of 2001, leaf N concentration was 11 to 19% greater with the covered than non-covered trees in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005. Because tree size was greater in the covered grids than the non-covered grids, this suggests that the total N uptake by plant is greatly enhanced due to black fabric cover. On the other hand, leaf P concentration was about 19 to 37% less with the covered grids than in the non-covered grids for 2002 through 2005. Similar to P, leaf Ca concentration was reduced in 2002, 2003, and 2005, and leaf Mg was lowered in 2002, 2003, and 2004 because of black fabric cover. The reduced leaf P, Ca, and Mg concentrations with the covered trees were mainly due to the diluting effects of increased tree growth. The effects of black fabric cover on leaf K, S, B, Zn, and Mn concentrations were generally not significant. Our results suggest that although soil nutrient availability is not reduced by wide synthetic black fabric cover, higher rates of fertilizers may be needed for the covered sweet cherry trees due to the enhanced tree growth and fruit production from a long-term perspective. Fruit sugar content, firmness, and size did not differ significantly between the covered and non-covered trees. However, black fabric cover maybe could increase the percentage of marketable fruits by reducing fruit bruising and pitting. On the trial at The Dalles, the biggest benefit with drip irrigation was water saving. During the entire season from May to September in 2005, drip irrigation reduced irrigation water consumption by 74% relative to micro sprinkler. Compared with no cover, black fabric lowered water use by 8%, and straw mulch and white fabric had a 1 to 3% reduction in water use. Fruit yield with drip irrigation was similar to that under micro sprinkler. There was a strong trend of yield increase with straw mulch and fabric covers relative to no cover, although these yield increments were statistically insignificant. Fruit sugar content, firmness, and size did not differ regardless of irrigation or ground cover systems. Drip irrigation increased marketable fruits by approximately 5% (absolute value) via reducing fruit pitting compared with micro sprinkler. No benefits were found with straw mulch or fabric covers in reducing fruit pitting relative to no cover in the first year of experimentation. Differences in soil available N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Zn, Mn, Cu, pH, and organic matter were negligible between the two irrigation systems or among the four ground cover treatments in 2005. However, drip irrigation resulted in slightly lower concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, B, and Mn in leaf after harvest than micro sprinkler; which suggests that the uptake of these nutrients by roots may be slightly reduced due to the switch from micro sprinkler to drip irrigation in the first year. However, the four ground cover treatments had similar leaf nutrient concentrations except N.