Southwest Michigan apple maturity report – September 9, 2026
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EmailJonathon, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious and the remaining Honeycrisp are being harvested this week, while Empire and Jonagold are approaching maturity.
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
Warm and humid conditions continued into Wednesday morning, Sept. 9, with showers and thunderstorms moving through southwest Michigan. Temperatures will turn cooler behind this system, with highs in the mid-70s Thursday before recovering to the upper 70s Friday and around 80 F over the weekend. Thursday and Friday should be mostly dry with good harvest conditions, while chances for scattered showers return Saturday afternoon into Sunday. Overnight temperatures will fall sharply Thursday night, potentially into the low- to mid-50s, then moderate into the upper 50s and 60s through the weekend. The combination of sunny days and cooler nights late this week should favor red color development in ripening apples as harvest continues.
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. Samples were collected from 1-2 locations in Berrien and Van Buren counties.
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
Mutsu
Mutsu fruit were sampled from two locations in Berrien and Van Buren counties on Tuesday. Red color is at 2%, and background color is green at 4.5. Fruit firmness is at 17.1 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 2.4. Sugars are an average of 11.1 Brix. Mutsu is immature this week.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 8 |
252.9 (308.1-197.7) |
0.3 (5-0) |
4.6 (5-4.1) |
17.1 (18.5-15.7) |
2.4 (3.4-1.3) |
11.1 (11.2-10.9) |
Honeycrisp
Honeycrisp fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren county on Tuesday. Red color is at 67%. Background color is yellow-green at 2.8. Fruit firmness is at 16.0 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 4.9. Sugars are an average of 15.2 Brix. Honeycrisp remains at harvest maturity, and remaining fruit are being harvested.
Bitter pit has been observed in some fruit across the region. Risk is generally greater in young or highly vigorous trees, blocks on susceptible rootstocks, trees carrying light crop loads, and fruit that have sized especially large. Fruit from high-risk blocks should be cooled promptly to the recommended storage temperature of 38 F, since pre-conditioning can increase bitter pit expression. These fruit should also be marketed relatively quickly rather than held for extended storage. Fruit with lower bitter pit risk that are intended for longer-term storage can be pre-conditioned at about 50 F for 5–7 days before cooling.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 8 |
282.1 |
67 (85-35) |
2.8 (4-2) |
16 (18.3-13.1) |
4.9 (7-3) |
15.2 |
Empire
Empire fruit were sampled from two locations in Berrien and Van Buren counties on Tuesday. Red color is at 60.3%, and background color is green-yellow at 3.5. Fruit firmness is at 17.5 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 3.0. Sugars are an average of 12.7 Brix. Empire is approaching maturity, some blocks have been harvested.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 8 |
172.8 (178.2-167.5) |
60.3 (68-52.5) |
3.5 (3.8-3.1) |
17.5 (17.7-17.3) |
3 (3.4-2.7) |
12.7 (13.5-11.9) |
Fuji
Fuji fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren county on Tuesday. Red color is at 19%, and background color is green at 4.2. Fruit firmness is at 19.4 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 2.0. Sugars are an average of 11.3 Brix. Some blocks of Fuji are being harvested this week, although most are not quite mature yet.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 8 |
158.9 |
19 (40-5) |
4.2 (5-3) |
19.4 (21-18) |
2 (4-1) |
11.3 |
Golden Delicious
Golden Delicious fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren county on Tuesday. Red color (blush on Goldens) is at 0%, and background color is green at 4.1. Fruit firmness is at 17.9 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 4.1. Sugars are an average of 14.9 Brix. Golden Delicious has reached maturity and harvest is underway.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 8 |
208.3 |
0 (0-0) |
4.1 (5-4) |
17.9 (20.3-16.1) |
4.1 (6-3) |
14.9 |
Evercrisp
Evercrisp fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren county on Tuesday. Red color is at 50%, and background color is green at 4.2. Fruit firmness is at 24.1 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 1.4. Sugars are an average of 13.5 Brix. Evercrisp is immature this week.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 8 |
212.1 |
50 (70-35) |
4.2 (5-2) |
24.1 (27.3-22.2) |
1.4 (2-1) |
13.5 |
Jonagold
Jonagold fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren county on Tuesday. Red color is at 30.5%, and background color is green at 4.6. Fruit firmness is at 18.3 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 2.9. Sugars are an average of 14.5 Brix. Jonagold is approaching maturity.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 8 |
263.2 |
30.5 (50-10) |
4.6 (5-4) |
18.3 (21.1-16.6) |
2.9 (5-2) |
14.5 |
Jonathon
Jonathon fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren county on Tuesday. Red color is at 80.5%, and background color is green-yellow at 3.0. Fruit firmness is at 14.9 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 3.6. Sugars are an average of 12.4 Brix. Jonathon has reached maturity and is being harvested.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 8 |
178.4 |
80.5 (95-70) |
3 (4-2) |
14.9 (19.3-13.7) |
3.6 (5-2) |
12.4 |
Northern Spy
Northern Spy fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren county on Tuesday. Red color is at 6.5%, and background color is green at 4.6. Fruit firmness is at 20.9 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 1.4. Sugars are an average of 11.4 Brix. Spys are immature this week.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 8 |
222.7 |
6.5 (20-0) |
4.6 (5-4) |
20.9 (22.9-18.1) |
1.4 (2-1) |
11.4 |
Red Delicious
Red Delicious fruit were sampled from two locations in Berrien and Van Buren counties on Tuesday. Red color is at 52%, and background color is green-yellow at 3.0. Fruit firmness is at 16.4 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 3.1. Sugars are an average of 10.9 Brix. Red Delicious has reached harvest maturity. Harvest Red Delicious at a starch of 3.0 for optimal long-term storage.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 8 |
217.7 (234.7-200.7) |
52 (55.5-48.5) |
3 (3.4-2.7) |
16.4 (16.5-16.2) |
3.1 (3.5-2.7) |
10.9 (11.3-10.4) |
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 |
