2023 Apple Maturity Report

2023 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 pict
10/20 'Brak' Fuji none 3.3 75 14 11.5 1.09 7 classic late Fuji, watercore, could be picked brakfuji102023
10/20 MAIA 1 'Evercrisp' nil 3.4 75 20 13.8 0.93 3.5-4.5 hint of watercore, could be picked on color, flavor is there evercrisp102023
10/20 MAIA-L 'Ludacrisp' none 3.2 65 16 15.8 0.32 5-7 light crop in tops, very pronounced pineapple flavor, pick ASAP ludacrisp102023
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments pict
10/13 Crimson Topaz nil 3 90+ 13.4 12.4 NA 6 should be harvested crimsontopaz101323
10/10 Hudson Golden Gem few 3.25 0 15 11.5 0.96 4-6+ tastes like a good pear, being harvested hudsongoldengem101023
10/10 MAIA 1 Evercrisp none 3.4 50 dull 21 14 0.91 3-4 wait a week at least evercrisp101023
10/10 Cortland few 3.4 75 13 12.2 NA 3-6 still good, had ReTain cortland101023
10/9 Delicious some 3.2 95 14 10.1 NA 4-5-6 one with watercore, being PYO'd delicious100923
10/9 Macoun some 3.2 75 13 12.1 NA 4-7 peak variety flavor now, but pick soon macoun100923
10/9 Cameo 'Caudle' cv. none 3 75-100 dull still 16.5 12.2 0.91 3-6 some moldy core, could wait for some better red color? cameo100923
10/9 Mutsu 'Crispin' nil 3.6 NA 15 10.6 1.58 4 seem kind of green still, wait a week? mutsu100923
10/9 Cripps Pink 'Barnsby' cv. nil 3.1 90 17 13.8 0.29 4-5 could do a first early pick on color? crippspink100923
10/9 Golden Delicious nil 3.4 NA 11? 11 1.14 6-7 still look quite green? goldendelicious100923
10/9 Suncrisp
(NJ 55)		 few 3.6 0-10 14 13.1 0.54 4-7 seeds brown, but could use another week, heavy crop suncrisp100923
10/9 Crimson Gold significant 3 50-75 14 12.4 0.22 7 quite ripe, should have been picked a week ago crimsongold100923
10/5 MAIA 11 'Rosalee' nil 3.2 75-90 15-16 13.2 NA 5-6 not so great here but a nice apple I have seen elsewhere NA
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments pict
9/25 Rogers Red McIntosh significant 3.2 75 12 11.7 NA 6.5 harvest ASAP rogersmac092523
9/25 Empire (Royal?) nil 3.2 95 15 13.2 NA 3.5-6.5 light crop, harvest soon, not good for storage empire092523
9/25 Cortland (Redcort?) nil 3.4 80 15 11.3 NA 3-4 pick over next week redcort092523
9/25 Macoun nil 3.2 60 15 12.2 NA 3-4 will be better by end of week macoun092523
9/25 Liberty none 3 85 20 12.2 NA 2-4 heavy crop, could use a few more days liberty092323
9/25 Honeycrisp some 3.3 65 12 12.7 NA 6-7 ReTain? harvest anytime if red color honeycrisp092523
9/25 Honeycrisp (NC-140) few 3.4 55 striped 11 11.4 NA 7 ReTain, harvest ASAP if red color, watch soft scald (pre-condition, store at 38 F.) honeycrispnc140092523
9/25 Jonagold nil 3.4 50 12 13.5 NA 5-7 no seeds, should be picked on color jonagold092523
9/25 Crimson Crisp few, loose 3.1 99 17 14.1 NA 5.5-7 pick ASAP, marssonina crimsoncrisp092523
9/25 Golden Delicious (Glory) none 3 NA 13 10.9 NA 4-7 seeds brown, but could use another week, heavy crop goldendelicious092523
9/25 Ambrosia none 3.2 55 16.5 13.4 NA 4-5 light crop, could spot-pick based on background color change green to yellow, don't wait too long ambrosia092523
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments pict
9/22 Macoun (no ReTain) none 3.1 55 16.5 11.1 NA 3-5 maybe need another week, not much difference from ReTain? macoun092223noretain
9/22 Macoun (ReTain) none 3.2 50 barely 15 11.5 NA 3-4 need another week at least macoun092223retain
9/18 Rogers Red McIntosh some 3.1 70 13 11.9 NA 6 harvest ASAP rogersmcintosh091823
9/18 Cortland (Redcort?) none 3.2 75 16 11.4 NA 2-3 almost ready for harvest cortland091823
9/18 Empire (Royal?) none 3.2 90 16 12.6 NA 3-6 ligt crop, no seeds, wait a week empire091823.jpeg
9/19 Buckeye Gala nil 2.8 small 100 14.5 14.5 0.14 4-8 over the hill mostly... buckeyegala091923
9/18 Honeycrisp some 3.4 50 barely, striped 13 12.7 0.64 4, 6-7 ReTain seems to be holding up well honeycrisp091823
9/18 Honeycrisp (NC-140) some 3.3 55 striped 12 11.2 0.61 5.5-7 waiting on color for final pick honeycrispnc140-091823
9/18 Crimson Crisp none 3.0 95 19 14 0.75 4.5-6.5 light crop, fire blight, prone to water core? crimsoncrisp091823
9/19 Morning Mist Fuji nil 3.1 55 13.5 14.7 0.99 4-6.5 sweet, harvest ASAP mmfuji091923
9/19 MAIA 12 'Summerset' few 3.5 90 8.5 soft 12.7 0.22 6-7 over-mature but finally have good red color summerset091223
9/18 Pink Luster few 3.4 large 60 pink blush, attractive 16 12.5 0.33 6-7 mild flavor, hard to dislike? pinkluster091823
9/18 Firecracker nil 2.9 50 orange-red blush 20 15.1 0.40 3-6 attractive, could wait a week firecracker091823
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments pict
9/11 Rubymac McIntosh nil 3.2 99 13.5 12.4 NA 4.5 young trees, very nice, seemed kind of loose, pick ASAP, no ReTain rubymac091123
9/11 Rogers Red McIntosh some 3.1 60 14 10.7 NA 5-6 pick ASAP, seem loose, no ReTain rogersredmcintosh091123
9/11 Buckeye Gala none 3.0 90 14 11.1 0.26 3.5-6+ very nice, heavy crop but still good size, pick ASAP buckeyegala091123
9/11 Honeycrisp few 3.3 65 14 13 0.62 6-7 had ReTain, pick if have red color (but still lots of green apples) honeycrisp091123
9/11 Redcort Cortland none 3.4 65 but dull 13.7 11.1 NA 2 wait a week redcortcortland091123
9/11 Morning Mist Fuji none 3.1 50 14.5 13.9 1.01 4-5 better in a week? morningmistfuji091123
9/12 Crimson Crisp none 2.9 70 20 12.5 0.79 4-5-6 wait a week crimsoncrisp091223
9/12 Blondee none 2.8 NA 16 13 0.17 5-6 fruity flavor, pick ASAP blondee091223
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments pict
9/4 Crispie (pear) few 2.8 NA 8 8.6 1.34 NA psylla, fly speck, not adequately thinned, not quite ready (a little late?) but yellow/ripe fruit dropping crispiepear090423
9/5 Rubymac McIntosh nil 3 90 14.5 11.7 NA 4 barely being harvested largely on account of good color, but does not ripen any earlier than most Macs rubymac090523
9/5 Marshall McIntosh few 3.1 75-80 15 12.8 NA 4-5 cider block, do not look so great this year, blemishes from freeze, light crop marshallmac090523
9/5 Rogers Red McIntosh few 3 60 15 11 NA 4-5-6 a little farther along than I would have expected? rogersmcintosh090523
9/5 Honeycrisp few 3.2 70, picked on color, most green 16 12.8 0.58 7-8 NC-140, ReTain, pretty rough look, bitter pit, rots, frost rings, butt cracks, etc. honeycrisp090523
9/5 Minneiska nil 3.1 65 15 13.4 0.27 5-7 did not get thinned enough, some russet/freeze injury, some seedless and signs of moldy core? minneiska090523
9/5 Buckeye Gala none 2.8 85 19.5 13.2 0.32 3.5-6.5 pick on yellow background color (if you can), does not starch test well IMHO buckeyegala090523b
9/5 Blondee nil 2.9 NA 18 11.7 0.57 3.5-6 a yellow "Gala" blondee090523
9/5 MAIA 12 Summerset nil 3.4 large 50, not great 12 12.1 0.59 5-6-7 pict has better color than most, good flavor, recommended summerset090523
9/5 Pink Luster few 3.4 large 35-40 pink blush 15.5 10.8 0.48 4-5-6-7 slight greasiness, attractive, fire blight susceptible, I prefer Summerset pinkluster090523
9/5 Fuji (early) none 3.2 65 13 11.4 0.91 5-6+ very close to harvest-ready, some fire blight in here earlyfuji090523
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
8/28 Blondee none 2.8 NA 17 10.6 0.93 2.7 small, hand thinned late, not ripe, need another week at least blondee082823
8/28 Premier Honeycrisp few 3.45 35 barely striped 12 13.2 0.65 6.3 (5-7) not a good look, frost damage, stripey, already been picked over premierhoneycrisp082823
8/28 Ginger Gold nil 3.4 NA 15 10.2 1.02 2-3-4-5 some frost damage, lightish crop here in E gingergold082823
8/28 Minneiska nil 3.2 65 14.7 12.9 0.33 5.5 not thinned, a little variable maturity, varietal flavor not quite there yet minneiska082823
8/28 Buckeye Gala none 2.8 90 but dull 19 11.3 0.79 3-4 hand thinned late, small size, need another week at least buckeyegala082823
8/28 Akane nil 3 80 16.8 12.5 0.60 6-7 look nice, should all be harvested now akane082823
8/28 Pink Luster nil 3.1 55 18 10.9 0.65 4.8 1 with moldy core, fire blight pinkluster082823
8/28 Honeycrisp nil 3.1 45 barely 15 10.9 1.01 4.5 likley had ReTain,  need another week minimim honeycrisp082823
8/28 Marshall McIntosh nil 3.1 45 lacking 16 11.9 NA 3-4-5 frost flecking, still green, wait another week marshallmcintosh082823
8/28 Rubymac none 3.2 95 15.5 11 NA 4.3 color is there but need another week rubymac082823
8/29 MAIA 12 Summerset none 3.4 large 45 dull still 13 11.2 0.99 3-4 flavor OK but could use another week? this is a tasty apple, not firm at all, handle with care, a Labor Day apple (Summerset, get it?) summerset082923
9/1 Autumn Crisp none 3.3 50 13.3 12.5 0.85 3-6 NY 674, decent early apple, attractive, but acnursery.com says September 15? autumncrisp090123
date Cultivar pre-harvest drop fruit diameter inches color % red firmness lbs soluble solids DA Index starch index comments Image
8/21 Zestar! nil 3.2 35 14 13.3 0.59 4 might have had a 1st pick, color not snapping yet, wait a few days zestar082123
8/21 Sansa nil 3 40 15 13 0.40 4 (3-5) fire blight, had a 1st pick already, not so great looking, lots of russet/freeze damage sansa082123
8/21 Premier Honeycrisp nil 3.4 45 13 12.3 0.62 6.5 could do a 1st pick based on color premierhoneycrisp082123
8/21 Paulared some, quite a few actually 3.3 90 12.5 11.4 NA 5.5 (5-6) fire blight, good to go, a tad early?, dropping paulared082123
8/21 Akane none 3.1 80 17 12.8 0.53 5.35 some freeze damage, wiat 5 days to harvest akane082123
8/21 MAIA SM (Sweet MAIA) none 3.2 95 19 14.4 0.84 5 (4-6) fire blight, freeze damage, butt cracks, light crop maiasm082123
8/21 Ginger Gold none 2.9 small NA 18 10.6

1.00

 3-4? white seeds, over-cropped, may never be very good, I'd wait a week gingergold082123