2018 Apple Maturity Report

2018 Apple Maturity Report

All observations from UMass Orchard, Belchertown, MA unless otherwise noted

Questions, comments: Jon Clements 413-478-7219

Note: target maturity indeces: red color, >50%; firmness, >14 lbs.; soluble solids, >12; DA, 0.60 to 0.40 for Honeycrisp, 0.65 for Gala, 1.00 for Golden Delicious, 1.15 to 1.00 for Red Delicious (higher DA = more "green"); starch index, 4-6.

date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
1-Oct Empire none 3.2 90 16.3 11.8 NA 3.5 to 4 ready to start pick Empire apple
1-Oct Golden Delicious some 3.2 NA 12.9 13.2 1.09 6 to 7 variable maturity; necrotic leaf blotch Golden Delicious apple
1-Oct Ambrosia none 3.1 75 17.2 13.2 0.23 4.5 very nice, perfect to pick Ambrosia apple
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
26-Sept Morning Mist Fuji nil 3.5 65 12.6 11.8 0.87 7.5 variable maturity depending on crop load; could use a few more days then pick; best early Fuji Morning Mist Fuji apple
26-Sept Jonagold nil 3.5 70 14 13.2 0.69 5 to 7.5 some water core; ready for 1st pick, a very nice apple Jonagold apple
26-Sept Rogers Red McIntosh some + 3.5 65 13.6 12.2 NA 6 (5 to 7) last call for CA McIntosh Rogers Red McIntosh apple
26-Sept Cortland (Redcort or Royalcourt?) nil 3.5 75 15.7 12.5 NA 3 to 4? bitter pit; may have had ReTain; generally an ugly crop of Cortland this year Cortland apple
26-Sept Macoun some + 3.1 70 17.5 11.6 NA 3 to 4? San Jose scale observed; otherwise, typical Macoun :-( Macoun apple
25-Sept Honeycrisp some 3.4 60 12.8 11.4 0.71 7 (6.5 to 8) flavor kind of bland, likely had ReTain Honeycrisp
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
20-Sept Liberty none 3 90 21.5 10.9 NA mostly 2 to 3 need another week Liberty
20-Sept Modi few 3 90 19.2 13.4 1.15 4 (1.5 to 6) sweet and crisp; ready to pick, but somehwhat variable maturity; not available to us Modi apple
13-Sept Rogers Red McIntosh nil 3.4 50 dull 15.6 11.4 NA 5 (4 to 6) a late picking McIntosh strain NA
13-Sept Honeycrisp nil 3.2 55 14 10.8 0.89 2 to 7 poor color, may have been treated with ReTain, over-cropped trees NA
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
10-Sept Snappy Mac McIntsosh few 3.2 55

16.7

 12.8 NA 4 to 6 ready to start pick Snappy Mac McIntsosh apple
9-Sept Lindamac McIntosh few 3.2 65 14.8 12.1 NA 4 (3.5- 5.5) real nice crop, ready for 1st pick lindamac090918
9-Sept Honeycrisp some 3.6 60 14.6 13.9 0.65 6 (5-7) color lacking, but needs harvest soon hcr090918
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
4-Sept Lindamac McIntosh nil 3.2 55 16.6 11.1 NA 3.5 green, needs some cooler weather, look at again in a week Lindamac McIntosh
4-Sept Buckeye Gala none 3 90 18.8 13.6 0.30 3.5 to 6.5 gorgeous, ready to pick Buckeye Gala
4-Sept Honeycrisp nil 3.2 65 14.6 11.8 0.58 6.5 close, had some ReTain, but not sure if it is working yet? Many still with no red color, pict is best color Honeycrisp
3-Sept Honeycrisp nil 3.4 70 16.9 14.1 0.66 5 (4 to 6) 1st pick on small trees based on color, including some 'Firestorm' Honeycrisp NA
3-Sept Royal Red Honeycrisp nil 3.2 55 16.8 13.2 0.59 6.5 (6 to 7) close to being ready to pick, color where red is deep red blush Royal Red Honeycrisp
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
27-Aug Akane nil 2.9 65 17 12 0.71 6 (5-7) somer rot, sunburn, heavy crop, 1 with watercore Akane
27-Aug Buckeye Gala none 3 90 20 12.4 0.53 4 (3-6) pick in 5-7 days Buckeye Gala
27-Aug Ginger Gold none 3.3 NA 17 11.6 0.61 2-3 some water core, does not starch test well, needs to be picked ASAP Ginger Gold
27-Aug Rubymac McIntosh none 3.2 85 17 11.6 1.93 2.5 despite red color not ready to pick, very tart, seeds white and not seeded well Rubymac McIntosh
27-Aug Zestar! some 3.4 35 14 13.1 0.65 4-5 what's left after 1st pick, color lacking, very large fruit with still heavy crop left to pick Zestar!
22-Aug Sansa none 3 65 15.1 11.3 0.45 4 picked as of 8/27, nice look this year Sansa
22-Aug Ginger Gold none 3.2 NA 17.3 11.2 0.75 3 could start harvest, nice crop on young trees Ginger Gold
22-Aug Premier Honeycrisp some 3.4 60 16.1 13 0.52 6 pick ASAP Premier Honeycrisp
22-Aug Paulared nil 3.2 65 19.5 12.8 1.15 3-4 light crop, with Apogee, not pretty Paulared
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
16-Aug Premier Honeycrisp some 3.1 35 15.9 12 0.52 5-7 some drop, could be 1st pick based on colore, but some fruit still quite green Premier Honeycrisp