Southwest Michigan apple maturity report – September 30, 2026
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EmailCooler fall conditions take over this week as apple harvest continues. EverCrisp is maturing this week.
Apple maturity testing will occur weekly for the southwest region beginning now through the end of harvest. Reports will be sent out every week following the Michigan State University Extension fruit team apple maturity calls on Wednesday mornings.
Weather
A wet period is expected across southwest Michigan through Thursday, Oct. 1. Showers will become widespread Wednesday afternoon and continue Wednesday night, with rain and a few thunderstorms possible Thursday. High temperatures will remain near 70 degrees Fahrenheit before cooler air arrives behind the system. Showers may linger into Friday morning before skies begin to clear during the afternoon.
The weekend should provide much better harvest conditions, with mostly sunny skies Saturday and Sunday, highs in the mid-60s and overnight lows falling into the low 40s. Growers should take advantage of the drier weekend weather for harvest, particularly as even cooler conditions are expected early next week.
How to read maturity tables
Each week, an apple maturity report will be provided and will include average values for several apple samples for varieties nearing maturity. Maximum and minimum values are included in tables below for the highest and lowest individual fruits evaluated for each, to give a full spectrum of maturity. Samples included in the reports have been untreated with ReTain or Harvista, unless otherwise noted.
For more information about apple maturity testing, review these resources compiled by the MSU Extension tree fruit team.
- Predicted apple harvest dates for 2026 from MSU.
- More information on harvest management tools and timings can be found in this article.
- Guidelines from MSU to check for apple maturity in your own orchard, including specific pressure and starch recommendations by variety.
- New starch charts for evaluating apple maturity in Michigan from Michigan State University
- Predicting apple maturity and starch chart from Cornell University.
- Starch chart for Honeycrisp Apples developed by Washington State University.
Maturity information for the Southwest Region
Braeburn
Braeburn fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren County on Tuesday. Red color is at 21%, and background color is green at 4.3. Fruit firmness is firm at 24.7 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 1.9. Sugars are an average of 12.7 °Brix. Braeburn is immature this week.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 29 |
277.5 |
21.0 (5.0–35.0) |
4.3 (2.0–5.0) |
24.7 (20.9–28.8) |
1.9 (1.0–2.0) |
12.7 |
EverCrisp
EverCrisp fruit were sampled from two locations in Berrien and Van Buren counties on Tuesday. Red color is the same as last week at 62.5%, and background color is green-yellow at 2.9. Fruit firmness is at 22.1 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 2.9. Sugars are an average of 15.9 °Brix. EverCrisp has reached maturity for CA and long-term storage this week.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 29 |
243.9 (214.4–273.3) |
62.5 (52.0–73.0) |
4.0 (3.7–4.3) |
22.1 (22.0–22.2) |
2.9 (2.7–3.0) |
15.9 (15.2–16.5) |
Fuji
Fuji fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren County on Tuesday. Red color is at 42.5%, and background color is green at 3.8. Fruit firmness is at 17.3 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 3.5. Sugars are an average of 14.6 °Brix. Fuji is mature this week and can be harvested.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 29 |
194.5 |
42.5 (20.0–60.5) |
3.8 (3.0–5.0) |
17.3 (14.7 – 22.2) |
3.5 (2.0 – 6.0) |
14.6 |
Northern Spy
Northern Spy fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren County on Tuesday. Red color is at 25.0%, and background color is green at 4.4. Fruit firmness is at 18.4 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 4.4. Sugars are an average of 13.2 °Brix. Spys are mature this week; many have been harvested already in Berrien County.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 29 |
194.3 |
25.0 (5.0–50.0) |
4.4 (4.0–5.0) |
18.4 (15.3–23.5) |
4.4 (3.0–6.0) |
13.2 |
IdaRed
IdaRed fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren County on Tuesday. Red color is at 58%, and background color is green at 3.8. Fruit firmness is at 15.8 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 2.9. Sugars are an average of 12.4 °Brix. IdaRed is nearing maturity; advanced blocks may be ready to harvest this week.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 29 |
215.6 |
58.0 (45.0–75.0) |
3.8 (3.0–5.0) |
15.8 (13.6–19.4) |
2.9 (2.0–7.0) |
12.4 |
Apple maturity sampling parameters
- Color % = the visual percentage of red color from 0 to 100; range is of all fruits tested. Indicates surface area covered in red and intensity of red color.
- Background color: 5 = Green, 1 = Yellow; range is of all fruits tested.
- Firmness in pounds pressure = measured with a Güss Fruit Texture Analyzer; range is of all fruits tested.
- Starch For Honeycrisp: will typically be rated using the standard Michigan State University starch scale (1-8). However, a separate starch chart for Honeycrisp Apples developed by Washington State University (scale 1-6) also exists.
- Brix = % sugar measured with Atago PAL-1 Pocket Refractometer
Looking for more? View Michigan State University Extension’s Apple page for regional reports throughout the state and additional resources.
|
Suggested firmness and starch index levels for long-term and shorter-term controlled atmosphere (CA) storage by variety. |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Variety |
Firmness (pounds)* |
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 |
6 |
|
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 |
|
Brix Guide |
Low |
Fair |
Good |
Excellent |
|
All varieties |
Less than 11 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
|
Honeycrisp |
Less than 12 |
12 |
12 |
Greater than 14 |
