Michigan statewide apple maturity report – September 6, 2024
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EmailKeep abreast of the latest apple maturity testing done in different cultivars around the state to optimize harvest times for storage and fresh picking.
This report provides data to compare apple maturity across the state. This will include information from multiple regions, but if available you should consult a maturity report from your specific region. Regional reports will include more information, including updates on harvest extenders and pest and disease management.
Predicted harvest dates
| 2024 predicted peak harvest dates | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full bloom date 2024 | Predicted harvest date 2024 | ||||||
| Station | McIntosh | Jons | Reds | McIntosh | Jons | Reds | Observer |
| SWMREC | 24-Apr | 25-Apr | 27-Apr | 26-Aug | 10-Sep | 17-Sep | Shane |
| Deerfield | 21-Apr | 23-Apr | 26-Apr | 24-Aug | 10-Sep | 16-Sep | Plotkowski |
| Romeo | 30-Apr | 1-May | 1-May | 31-Aug | 18-Sep | 24-Sep | Plotkowski |
| Sparta | 30-Apr | 1-May | 1-May | 1-Sep | 16-Sep | 23-Sep | Brown |
| Hart | 5-May | 7-May | 7-May | 6-Sep | 23-Sep | 29-Sep | Lavely |
| NWMHRS | 11-May | 12-May | 13-May | 11-Sep | 26-Sep | 2-Oct | Rothwell |
Table below auto calculates predicted harvest date comparisons.
| 2024 predicted peak harvest dates compared to normal and last year. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days -/+ normal | Days -/+ last year | |||||
| Station | McIntosh | Jons | Reds | McIntosh | Jons | Reds |
| SWMREC | -15 | -12 | -11 | -9 | -8 | -10 |
| Deerfield | -17 | -11 | -22 | -13 | -16 | -16 |
| Romeo | -13 | -7 | -9 | -11 | -14 | -16 |
| Sparta | -15 | -10 | -14 | -6 | -11 | -10 |
| Hart | -10 | -10 | -11 | -7 | -14 | -13 |
| NWMHRS | -11 | -10 | -15 | -3 | -8 | -7 |
Southeast Michigan does not currently have an independent apple maturity report.
Check out Michigan State University Enviroweather’s growing degree days (GDD) Michigan map. Find your closest weather station, create an account on the website and track GDDs daily.
Maturity tables and summaries
Apple maturity sampling parameters:
- Color % = the visual percentage of red color from 0 to 100; range is of all fruits tested.
- Firmness in pounds pressure = measured with a Güss Fruit Texture Analyzer; range is of all fruits tested.
- Starch: 1 = all starch, 8 = No starch; range is of all fruits tested. Using Cornell Starch Iodine Index Chart.
- Updated MSU starch chart.
- Brix = % sugar measured with Atago PAL-1 Pocket Refractometer
| Suggested firmness and starch index for long-term and shorter-term controlled atmosphere (CA) storage by variety. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variety | Firmness (lbs)* | Starch Index* | |||
| Short CA | Mid-CA | Long CA | Mature | Over-mature | |
| McIntosh | 14 | 15 | 16 | 5 | 7 |
| Gala | 16 | 17 | 18 | 3 | 6 |
| Honeycrisp | 15 | 16 | 17 | 3.5 | 7 |
| Empire | 14 | 15 | 16 | 3.5 | 6 |
| Early Fuji | 16 | 17 | 18 | 3 | 7 |
| Jonagold | 15 | 16 | 17 | 3.5 | 5.5 |
| Jonathan | 14 | 15 | 16 | 3.5 | 5.5 |
| Golden Delicious | 15 | 16 | 17 | 3 | 6.5 |
| Red Delicious | 16 | 17 | 18 | 2.5 | 6 |
| Idared | 14 | 15 | 16 | 3.5 | 6 |
| Fuji | 16 | 17 | 18 | 3 | 7 |
| Rome | 15 | 16 | 18 | 3 | 5.5 |
| Braeburn | 16 | 17 | 18 | 2.5 | 7 |
Southwest Michigan
Harvesting of Gala and Jonathan fruit in the southwest Michigan region is generally done. Picking is now focused on Honeycrisp. Fruit continues to ripen quickly in southwest Michigan due to heat spike in late June and early September this year.
| Region | Cultivar | Collection Date | Red Color (%) | Firmness (lbs) | Starch (1-8) | Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest | Gala | Aug. 19 | 86 (70-98) | 18.9 (16-22) | 5.0 (2.8-7.4) | 11.6 (11-12.3) |
| Southwest | Gala | Aug. 26 | 87 (70-97) | 17.2 (14.7-22.3) | 6.0 (4.2-7.0) | 12.8 (12.1-13.4) |
| Southwest | Gala | Sep. 3 | 99 (97-100) | 12.5 (12-13) | 7.6 (7.2-8) | 12.9 (12.3-14.1) |
| Southwest | Honeycrisp | Aug. 19 | 48.0 (45-55) | 15.7 (14.3-16.4) | 1.9 (1.4-2.8) | 10.8 (10.3-11.4) |
| Southwest | Honeycrisp | Aug. 26 | 56.6 (35-67.5) | 14.9 (14.2-15.6) | 5 (4.2-6.0) | 11.6 (11.1-12.1) |
| Southwest | Honeycrisp | Sep. 3 | 60 (55-72.5) | 13.7 (12.7-15) | 6.8 (5-7.4) | 13 (12.6-13.5) |
| Southwest | Empire | Aug. 26 | 59.3 (40-89) | 18.3 (17.4-19.7) | 2.2 (1.6-3.0) | 11.0 (9.9-12.3) |
| Southwest | Empire | Sep. 3 | 75 (55-97.5) | 17.3 (16.6-17.6) | 3.5 (2.6-4.2) | 11.3 (20.8-12.4) |
| Southwest | Golden Delicious | Sep. 3 | 35.9 (20-30) | 16.7 (15.8-18.2) | 2.6 (1.6-3.2) | 11.5 (10.7-12.3) |
| Southwest | Jonagold | Sep. 3 | 62.6 (37.5-89) | 19.4 (16.4-22) | 2.6 (2-4) | 12.3 (11.4-13.4) |
Southeast Michigan
Growers in warmer parts of the region (Lenawee and Monroe counties) have harvested RubyMac and done first picks of Honeycrisp. Non-retained Gala in warmer parts were harvested last week while retained fruit will be picked later this week. See our predicted harvest dates for southeast Michigan.
Northwest Michigan
Apples are early this year, and growers should be ready to harvest as soon as their fruit is mature. Growers also need to be using Retain or Harvista to help manage harvest timing. These tools may be critical in a year when all fruit is ripening at a similar time. These materials have been shown to be excellent to hold fruit if harvest runs longer or slower than anticipated. We are at a good timing for such applications in northwest Michigan and we highly recommend the use of these plant growth regulator (PGR) tools in a compressed and early season.
| Apple maturity in northwest Michigan for apples collected on 9/3/24 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variety | Color % (range) | Firmness lbs. (range) | Starch (range) | Brix % |
| Honeycrisp | 74.6% (40-95) | 19.0 (15.5-23.5) | 3.2 (1-7) | 12.1 (9.5-14.6) |
| Gala | 82.5% (50-100) | 22.3 (19-23) | 1.9 (1-4) | 10.7 (9.2-13.8) |
| McIntosh | 65.5% (5-100) | 19.3 (16-23) | 2.1 (1-4) | 11.1 (8.2-12.4) |
| Gingergold | 11% | 18.475 | 2.3 | 12.15 |
West central Michigan
Harvest of Gala and September Wonder Fuji is underway for some growers. Honeycrisp is now mature (Figure 1) and could be harvested for medium and short-term storage. Jonagold and Empire were also tested for maturity this week. These varieties will mature shortly.
| Region | Variety | Collection Date | Fruit Weight (g) | Red Color (%) | Background color (5-1) | Firmness (lbs) | Starch (1-8) | Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Central | Honeycrisp | 19-Aug | 181 (192-175) | 76 (98-55) | 3.6 (5-2) | 19.5 (22.4-17) | 1.4 (4-1) | 11 (11.6-10.1) |
| West Central | Honeycrisp | 28-Aug | 222 (258-197) | 76(99-50) | 3.5 (5-1) | 16.2 (21.5-11.8) | 4.1 (8-1) | 12.0 (13.2-11.5) |
| West Central | Honeycrisp | 4-Sep | 233 (275-189) | 82.4 (100-50) | 2.9 (4-1) | 15.9 (18.3-13.8) | 5.1 (8-2) | 12.2 (13.2-11.6) |
| West Central | Gala | 28-Aug | 183 (218-146) | 92 (100-60) | 2.0 (4-1) | 18.4 (22.0-15.4) | 2.2 (6-1) | 10.6 (11.5-9.8) |
| West Central | Gala | 4-Sep | 181 (205-152) | 92 (100-50) | 1.8 (5-1) | 11.7 (22.5-15.5) | 3.9 (7-1) | 11.5 (12.7-10.6) |
| West Central | Fuji September Wonder | 28-Aug | 148 (151-143) | 66.2 (95-50) | 3.5 (5-1) | 17.3 (19.5-13.8) | 2.1 (3-1) | 10.8 (11.9-9.2) |
| West Central | Fuji September Wonder | 4-Sep | 180 (190-170) | 79 (98-50) | 3.5 (5-3) | 14.6 (16.6-11.9) | 3.4 (7-2) | 12.2 (12.7-11.6) |
| West Central | Jonagold | 4-Sep | 221 (233-213) | 92 (100-55) | 4.1 (5-3) | 17.2 (20-15.3) | 2.7 (5-1) | 10.9 (11.5-10.1) |
| West Central | Empire | 4-Sep | 161 (180-142) | 74 (98-45) | 4.2 (5-3) | 16.7 (18.6-15.1) | 1.6 (2-1) | 10.2 (10.2-10.2) |
Grand Rapids region
Apple harvest is well underway! Early Fujis, Honeycrisps and Galas are being harvested across the area now.
Bitter pit is very common across Michigan this year in Honeycrisp blocks. The excessive heat earlier in the season was associated with higher rates of transpiration, which pulls calcium into the leaves and away from the fruit. The high temperatures this season has also shown up in sunburn around the state.
Please keep in mind that stop-drop materials can be very useful to manage harvest windows during this early season, especially if color is a concern, but the window to effectively use them may be sooner rather than later.
This is a difficult harvest season to balance between harvest metrics like starch testing and internal ethylene and fruit quality like sugars and reddening. Stop-drop materials, reflective ground covers, and summer pruning are being used effectively throughout the region to encourage color. Keep in mind that waiting to harvest can impact the long-term storage and quality of the crop. Maintaining fruit quality and long-term integrity is crucial this year.
| Region | Variety | Collection Date | Weight | Diameter | Red Color | Background | Ethylene | Firmness | Starch | Brix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | Early Auvil Fuji | 9/3/2024 | 229.2 (150 - 285) | 78.7 (67.5-87.5) | 58 (30-80) | 1.6 (1-2) | 80% | 15.6 (13.5-22.9) | 5.8 (4-8) | 12.9 (10.8-14.2) |
| Grand Rapids | Fuji | 9/3/2024 | 157 (122-201) | 70.2 (64.6-78.1) | 62.8 (35-85) | 2.3 (1-3) | 13% | 20.9(18.7-25.6) | 1.9 (1-3) | 10.6 (10-13) |
| Grand Rapids | Honeycrisp | 9/3/2024 | 259.9 (151-363) | 84.5 (70.4-98.4) | 78.8 (35-296) | 1.4 (1-2) | 85% | 14.9 (10.43-18.2) | 6.8 (5-8) | 13.4 (11.1-15) |
| Grand Rapids | Gala | 9/3/2024 | 151.7 (116-260) | 68 (62.3-83.2) | 85.3 (65-95) | 1.0 (1-2) | 87% | 19 | 4.5 (2-8) | 11.0 (9-13) |
| Grand Rapids | Macs | 9/3/2024 | 138 (76-227) | 70.8 (59-86.7) | 78.8 (35-100) | 2.1 (1-3) | 10% | 15.8 (14.5-18.0) | 5.8 (4-7) | 11.4 (10-12.8) |
Upcoming events
The Great Lakes Expo
The Great Lakes Expo, held annually in early December at the DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is the largest show of its kind in the country. It attracts a diverse audience of apple growers from the Great Lakes region. This year's Apple Sections take place on Tuesday, Dec. 10 and Wednesday, Dec. 11.
Sweet and Hard Cider: Tuesday Morning
|
Kevin Halfmann |
MDARD Cider Mill Inspection Report |
|
Paula Englin |
MCA Block Grant Report |
|
Shanthanu Krishna Kumar |
Managing Polyphenols with Crop Load; Polyphenol nutrition and cider sales |
|
Chris Swaggerty |
Hill Bros. How I Did It |
Apple 1: Tuesday Afternoon
|
Todd Einhorn |
Rapid, early-season growth of Honeycrisp apples predisposes fruit to bitter pit development |
|
Kari Peter |
Optimizing management to limit postharvest apple rots while in storage |
|
Randy Beaudry |
Environmental Factors Affecting Apple Quality and Storability |
|
Jim Schaefer, Eric Roossinck, and Jamie Kober |
Post Harvest Industry Panel |
Apple 2: Wednesday afternoon
|
Julianna Wilson |
What's Bugging Apples? All the Tiny Things! |
|
Rebecca Schmidt-Jeffris |
From the bottom to the top: Orchard floor management to conserve natural enemies in orchards |
|
Meghan Milbrath |
Protecting pollinators while controlling pests in apples |
|
Grzegorz Krawczyk |
Developing challenges with management of codling moth |
Cider Contest: Wednesday afternoon
The cider contest will judge the best ciders produced by Michigan cider makers (only Michigan cider producers are eligible). Here are some important details for the contest.
To enter, cider producers must submit two 1-gallon cider jugs at the Exhibitor Registration desk in the Grand Gallery concourse in DeVos Place on Tuesday, Dec. 10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or on Wednesday, Dec. 11, from 9 a.m. to noon. No entries will be accepted after noon on Wednesday.
Cider samples must be thawed by 1 p.m. on Wednesday (this is the responsibility of each cider producer, not the contest coordinator).
Cider contest judging will be on Wednesday afternoon. Judging will be held in one of the main-level Grand Gallery meeting rooms and will be open for viewing starting at 1:30 p.m.
The top five winners will be notified prior to the EXPO Social so they can be in attendance. Winners will be announced at the EXPO Social on Wednesday evening. First place receives a plaque and a traveling trophy. Second and third places receive a plaque.
Don't miss this valuable opportunity to connect with industry experts, gain valuable knowledge and explore the latest advancements in the apple industry.
We look forward to seeing you there!
To get a better sense of the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable, and Farm Market Expo, check out this video.
Related articles
- The 2024 Michigan apple crop forecast, as given at the USApple Outlook meeting
- Predicted apple harvest dates for 2024 from MSU Extension.
- More information on harvest management tools and timings from MSU Extension.
- Post harvest treatments to extend apple life.
- Guidelines from MSU Extension to check for apple maturity in your own orchard, including specific pressure and starch recommendations by variety.
- Predicting apple maturity and starch chart from Cornell University.