Michigan statewide apple maturity report – October 9, 2024

William Shane<shane@msu.edu>, Randy Beaudry<beaudry@msu.edu>, Erin Lauwers<lauwerse@msu.edu>, Emily Lavely<lavelyem@msu.edu>, Nikki Rothwell<rothwel3@msu.edu>, Lindsay Brown<brow1111@msu.edu> and Derek Plotkowski<plotkow5@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension -

Keep abreast of the latest apple maturity testing done in different cultivars around the state to optimize harvest times for storage and fresh picking.

apple trees in a line in an orchard
Pink Lady in Oceana County on October 7. Photo by Emily Lavely, MSU Extension.

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

Table 1. 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.

Table 2. 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

List of regional reports:

Northwest Michigan’s report was reduced and contained in the FruitNet email this week.

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

Commercial apple harvesting has largely wrapped in southwest Michigan.

Southeast Michigan

Growers in warmer parts of the region (Lenawee and Monroe counties) have started harvesting ‘Fuji’ and expect to pick ‘Evercrisp’ next week. See our predicted harvest dates for southeast Michigan.

Northwest Michigan    

Most regular season varieties have been picked. With the early season and many varieties maturing at a similar time, growers have been pressed to get the fruit off the trees.

West central Michigan

In the West Central region, Idared harvest continues, and some growers are harvesting Aztec Fuji and EverCrisp this week. Pink Lady are close to maturity.

Region Variety Collection Date Fruit Weight (g) Red Color (%) Background color (5-1) Firmness (lbs) Starch (1-8) Soluble Solids (°Brix)
West Central EverCrisp 7-Oct 245 81 3.9 20.6 2.8 15.4
West Central Aztec Fuji 7-Oct 195 89 3.8 3 3.3 13.9
West Central Pink Lady 7-Oct 177 64 3.6 17.6 2.9 13

Grand Rapids region

Main season Fuji and Evercrisp apples are currently mature. Keep an eye on Granny Smith and Pink Lady next. Please keep in mind that waiting to harvest can impact the long-term storage and quality of the crop.

Region Variety Collection Date Weight (g) Diameter (mm) Red Color (%) Background (5-1 rating) Ethylene (%) Firmness (lb) Starch (1-8 rating) Soluble solids (°Brix)
Grand Rapids EverCrisp 10/7/2024 231 79 71 1.9 100 21.4 2.5 15.6
Grand Rapids Fuji 10/7/2024 209 77 71 1.4 100 17.6 4.4 14.8
Grand Rapids Granny Smith 10/7/2024 268 85 7.5 2.9 0 17.6 3.8 11.5
Grand Rapids Pink Lady 10/7/2024 198 75 72 1.6 80% 21.5 4 15.3

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

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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