Editor’s note: This article is from the archives of the MSU Crop Advisory Team Alerts. Check the label of any pesticide referenced to ensure your use is included.
Station
Apple maturity for 2009 is expected to be normal to seven days behind normal and on average seven days behind last year. Bloom dates were a bit early in the south part of the state to perhaps about normal for the north areas. Daily temperatures during and after bloom can be characterized as cold with some frost problems especially in the north part of the state. This results in a prediction of delayed maturity dates. The state overall has a moderate to heavy crop load. The post-bloom cold temperatures and heavy cropload will delay maturity. There also was extended bloom in some parts of the state, which will make harvest dates less accurate.
The slightly early bloom and cold weather following bloom, give us predicted harvest dates (Table 1) about normal to 10 days behind normal, but mostly perhaps one week behind normal picking dates. These predicted harvest dates are for the center or peak harvest of these varieties for CA storage. This year, the 2009 predicted harvest dates are compared to the rough normal harvest dates and last year's predicted harvest dates. This year, the state will harvest apples roughly the same as last year for McIntosh to seven days behind last year predictions for other varieties (Table 2).
Hot temperatures during July and August will hasten the maturity of some varieties. Gala is notorious for ripening early when late summer temperatures are above normal. Other varieties are less prone to hot temperatures advancing fall maturity. Still other varieties ripen when cold temperatures occur at near harvest time. The normal harvest dates for other varieties are listed in Table 3 for the Grand Rapids area. This year's 2009 predicted dates are a rough estimate based on the McIntosh, Jonathan and Red Delicious predicted dates. Other areas of the state should adjust non-predicted varieties based on their own history.
Table 1. 2009 predicted peak harvest date
Full bloom date
Predicted harvest date
Station
McIntosh
Jons
Reds
McIntosh
Jons
Reds
Observer
SWMREC
3-May
5-May
6-May
4-Sep
24-Sep
2-Oct
Shane
Deerfield
4-May
9-May
6-May
5-Sep
29-Sep
2-Oct
Tritten
Romeo
9-May
12-May
13-May
12-Sep
3-Oct
8-Oct
Tritten
Peach Ridge
9-May
12-May
12-May
12-Sep
4-Oct
10-Oct
Schwallier
Ludington
17-May
20-May
20-May
21-Sep
11-Oct
17-Oct
Danilovich
NWMHRS
18-May
21-May
22-May
24-Sep
8-Oct
15-Oct
Rothwel
Table 2. 2009 predicted peak harvest dates compared to normal and last year
Days ahead of normal
Days ahead of last year
Station
McIntosh
Jons
Reds
McIntosh
Jons
Reds
SWMREC
6
-3
-4
9
-2
-4
Deerfield
3
-8
0
7
-4
-1
Romeo
-2
-8
-6
0
-10
-9
Peach Ridge
2
-8
-6
2
-7
-7
Ludington
-3
-8
-3
-2
-8
-8
NWMHRS
-1
2
8
-2
5
4
Table 3. Normal peak harvest dates for varieties for the Grand Rapids area
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