2019 Apple Maturity Report

2019 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.

(Note that you can click on any apple image to get a close-up and scroll through the pictures)

date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
15-Oct Crimson Topaz few 3.2 85 17 15.5 0.35 5-7

Not for everyone; available from ACNursery; scab-resistant, but has displayed some other disease problems; plant on best sites

 Crimson Topaz 101519
15-Oct Ambrosia none 2.9 85 14 14.7 0.13 6-8 Beautiful apple, unique sweet flavor; over-mature at this time, should have been picked a week ago; fruit scab near calyx Ambrosia 101519
15-Oct Suncrisp (NJ55) few 3 5-10 18 18.7 0.22 4-8 Most quite ripe; needs good thinning, then the apple is outstanding in appearance and flavor (Cox Orange Pippin parent), can be a bit touchy to grow Suncrisp 101519
15-Oct Mutsu (Crispin) some 3.5 0 16 15.3 1.04 3-5, 6 Very nice crop, large apples, pick now Mutsu 101519
15-Oct Golden Russet nil 3.2 0 26 17.7 0.80 3-5, 6 Classic cider apple but wait a week to pick Golden Russet 101519
15-Oct Ashmead's Kernel some 3 0 15 17.6 0.69 6-7 Cider apple, very nice crop, easy to harvest, do not eat well but good in cider NA
16-Oct 'Brak' Fuji nil 3.3 65 15 13.9 1.52 4-7

Red color is a bit “muddy;” needs at least another week on the tree, a classic late-season Fuji; marketed as KikuTM Fuji (if you have permission)

 'Brak' Fuji 101619
16-Oct Evercrisp none 3.6 50 19 17 0.88 5 Killer apple in terms of flavor, not so much appearance; waiting for some better red color; want to extend the PYO season a few more weeks? I got the apple for you... Evercrisp 101519
16-Oct Cameo (Caudle cv.) none 3.4 85 17 15.6 1.07 4-5, 6 An apple no one can "dislike" Cameo 101619
16-Oct Delicious some? 3.3 90 15 13.3 1.61 3-6 What can I say, it's a Red Delicious? Delicious 101619
16-Oct Caville Blanc nil 3.6 35 22 16.2 0.81 3-4

Julia Child’s favorite pie apple; purported to be a good cider apple; some curculio damage noted; could use another week on trees?

 Caville Blanc 101619
16-Oct Cripps Pink (Maslin cv.) few 3.2 95 17 14.8 0.64 2-7 Seems to have a range of maturity, being harvested at UMass Orchard, very nice looking apple 'Maslin' Cripps Pink 101619
16-Oct Jonagold some 3.6 75 14 14.7 0.66 8 Slightly greasy, over-mature, should have been picked last week but still edible, among the best eating fresh apples Jonagold 101619
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
30-Sept Jonagold nil 3.5 65 15 14.1 0.86 6-7 On the outside look kind of green despite high starch index, wait 5 days to pick Jonagold 093019
30-Sept Honeycrisp few 3.6 75 14 14.5 0.56 6-8 ReTained but look very nice right now Honeycrisp 093019
30-Sept Cortland (Redcort?) few 3.6 95 15 14.7 NA 3-6 Somer  bitter pit; may have had ReTain, but ready for harvest Cortland 093019
30-Sept Macoun some 3.4 85 15 14 NA 3-7 Some water core, one very soft, flavor not there yet? Macoun 093019
30-Sept Empire (Royal?) none 3.1 95 17 12.7 NA 5-6 Ready to start harvest, on the small side with heavy crop Empire 093019
30-Sept Golden Delicious none 3.2 0-10 15 14 1.07 6-7 DA indicated they are green as does green side look; very nice red blush on some, very clean too, unsure of strain, start harvest soon Golden Delicious 93019
30-Sept Liberty none 3.1 95 18 13.4 NA 4 Ready to start harvest, finish in a week Liberty 93019
30-Sept Ambrosia none 3 80 18 13.4 0.28 5 Lots of fruit scab; nearly ready to pick, start soon, short harvest window Ambrosia 093019
28-Sept DS-41 (Pazazz) nil 3.4 80 13 13.7 0.83 4-5 Variable maturity, ready for 1st pick Pazazz 092819
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
24-Sept Jonagold nil 3.6 55 18 14.6 1.00 4-6.5 Barely there, wait a few more days to start spot-pick Jonagold 092419
24-Sept Pazazz (DS-3) none 3.4 85 14 12.5 0.97 4-5, 6 Seeds nice and brown, nearly ready for 1st pick Pazazz (DS-3) 092419
24-Sept Macoun push-off 3.6 75 16

11.7

 NA 3-5 1 with watercore; economically ripe but realistically could use 5 more days Macoun 092419
24-Sept Cortland few 3.4 80 16 12.4 NA 2-4 Should be good to go, does not starch test well Cortland 092419
24-Sept Morning Mist Fuji nil 3.4 80 13 13.6 0.77 6-8 Ready to pick on red color ASAP, very nice early Fuji Morning Mist Fuji 092419
22-Sept Modi few 2.9 90 24 13.7 0.59 3 Gala X Liberty cross, very nice apple, crop, too bad we can't grow it (scab-resistant to boot!) Modi 092219
22-Sept Honeycrisp some 3.4 70 12 11.8 0.59 6-7 At their prime, treated with ReTain Honeycrisp 092219
22-Sept Snappy Mac (McIntosh) significant 3.2 85 15 13.6 NA 5-6 A very nice Mac, no ReTain, needs to be harvested ASAP Snappy Mac 092219
20-Sept Crimson Crisp
(Tougas Farm)		 nil 3 95 22 14.1 0.52 6 Very nice apple Crimson Crisp 092019
20-Sept Summerset (MAIA 12, Tougas Farm) nil 3.4 85 13 11.3 0.85 7 A Honeycrisp X Fuji cross; OK, but not great, mild flavor, no acid, sweet Summerset (MAIA 12) 092019
19-Sept Crimson Gold nil 3.2 50-75 19 13.5 0.40 2-5 Very attractive mostly yellow apple with complex flavor NA
18-Sept Evangleline none 3 0 18 16.2 0.59 4-7 Very limited availability (talk to NB Candada apple growers), looks like a very good cider apple Evangeline 091819
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
16-Sept RubyMac few 3.3 99 13 10.7 NA 5 (4-6) Ready for harvest big-time, very attractive Mac even though numbers not that great! RubyMac 091619
16-Sept Lindamac McIntosh yes 3.2 85 14 11.4 NA 5 (4-6) Drop has become significant w/o ReTain Lindamac McIntosh 091619
16-Sept Buckeye Gala nil 3 90 17.5 11.8 0.23 4-7 Some cracking oberved, needs to be harvested ASAP Buckeye Gala 091619
16-Sept Honeycrisp yes 3.4 65 14 11.9 0.57 5-7 By all measures ready for harvest on red color, treated with ReTain, finish over next week Honeycrisp 091619
16-Sept Cortland nil 3.6 55 17 10.6 NA 1.5  Don't even think about harvest for another week Cortland 091619
11-Sept Royal Red Honeycrisp yes 3.5 90 14 13.6 0.46 7 Very nice, but drop significant with no ReTain Royal Red Honeycrisp 091119
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
9-Sept Lindamac McIntosh few 3.2 90 16 11.3 NA 4.5 Nice , could be picked Lindamac 090919
9-Sept Buckeye Gala nil 2.9 85 17 10.8 0.38 2-7 First pick done, should come off trees this week Buckeye Gala 090919
9-Sept Honeycrisp some 3.4 65 15 12.4 0.76 4-7 Have not advanced in maturity that much from last week Honeycrisp 090919
9-Sept Blondee none 3.1 NA NA 11.4 0.29 3-6.5 Ready for harvest, very nice and clean crop when thinned properly Blondee 090919
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
2-Sept Lindamac McIntosh few 3.2 65 18 11.1 1.64 3-4, maybe 5 OK if looking for a green-tasting Mac Lindamac Mcintosh 090219
2-Sept Buckeye Gala none 3 95 20 10.5 0.61 3-6, mostly 4 Wait until end of week for 1st pick Buyckeye Gala 090219
2-Sept Honeycrisp few 3.3 80 16 12.7 0.48 4-7 Definitely ready for 1st pick based on nice red skin color Honeycrisp 090219
2-Sept Minneiska (SweeTango) nil 3.3 70 17 13.3 0.29 3-5 Nice, definitely start harvest and continue over next week (if you got them!) SweeTango 090219
2-Sept Akane nil 3.1 85 17 12.6 0.38 6-7 Need to be picked ASAP akane082719
2-Sept River Belle (DS-22) some 4.3 55 16 12.4 0.43 4-7 About as nice as I have ever seen them, off top-worked trees, hint of bitter pit and water core showing up River Belle 090219
2-Sept Ginger Gold none 3.3 0-20 18 12.3 0.61 4 Very nice, truly finally ready to harvest, does not starch test well but getting here Ginger Gold 090219
2-Sept Zestar! few 3.4 55 14 13.5 0.40 3-7 Won't get any better, harvest now Zestar! 090219
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
27-Aug Ginger Gold none 3.2 5 18 11 1.23 1-2 could go another week; does not starch test well; very nice crop and appearance gingergold082719
27-Aug Minneiska nil 3.2 55 14 11.8 0.41 2-3 could use another week to develop variety (SweeTango) flavor, but OK right now; some watercore; apples really pop on the trees minneiska082719
27-Aug Akane nil 3 70 15 12.6 0.76 5 (4-6) typical Akane, just OK, very fine flesh texture, recommend for cooking/processing only akane082719
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
26-Aug Paulared some 3.3 70 14 10.8 1.3 3.5 to 6.5 typical Paulared, which is not saying much; some watercore; DA does not work paulared082619
26-Aug Sansa nil 3 60 16.5 14 0.08 4-6 definitely ripe; light, spotty crop (biennial); lots of what appears to be stink bug injury sansa082619
26-Aug Zestar! few 3.1 45 15.5 11.8 0.74 4-6 heavy crop; kind of "meh in terms of flavor, albeit attractive apple; softish nmouth fell, when have better in this season (next!) zestar082619
26-Aug Premier Honeycrisp some 3.4 65 14 12.7 0.50 5-7

very nice, spot on; red color is definitely striped

 premierhoneycrisp082619