Predicted peak 2008 apple
harvest dates
Phillip Schwallier, District
Horticulture Educator and Station Coordinator
Amy Irish-Brown, District ICM
Educator
Clarksville Horticultural
Experimentation Station
Apple maturity for 2008 is expected to be close to the long term normal date and 7
to 10 days behind last year. Bloom dates were behind last year for the most part and
temperatures during and after bloom were cold. This results in a prediction of
delayed maturity. However, actual harvest dates for this year may differ from
predicted dates for 4 reasons. First, the spring multiple freezes killed or damaged
bloom on older wood including the king flowers. With bloom on older wood being reduced,
many of the fruits on the trees are borne on 1 year old wood, which tends to bloom up to a
week later. Second, where cropload is light, the fruit will mature a few days
earlier than our predictions. Heavy cropload trees will mature a week after our
predictions. This year there is quite a variation in croploads, but most trees are
light. Third, there was considerable variation in bloom dates from block to block
and orchard to orchard. Some blocks bloomed 3 to 5 days after a neighboring
block. There was also bloom variation up and down hills. Fourth, temperatures
during bloom were quite cold causing an extended bloom which contributes to a less
accurate prediction.
This year’s weather give us predicted harvest dates (Table 2) as much as 4 days ahead to 5 days later than the long term normal, depending on the variety and location. These predicted harvest dates are for the center or peak harvest of these varieties for CA storage. This year the state will harvest apples roughly 5 to 17 days behind last year (Table 2)
predictions.
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 2008 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. 2008 predicted peak harvest dates
Full bloom date |
Predicted harvest date |
||||||
Station |
McIntosh |
Jons |
Reds |
McIntosh |
Jons |
Reds |
Observer |
SWMREC |
5-6 |
5-7 |
5-7 |
9-13 |
9-22 |
9-28 |
Shane |
Deerfield |
5-7 |
5-8 |
5-8 |
9-12 |
9-25 |
10-1 |
Tritten |
Flint |
5-8 |
5-9 |
5-9 |
9-12 |
9-23 |
9-29 |
Tritten |
Peach Ridge |
5-9 |
5-11 |
5-11 |
9-14 |
9-27 |
10-3 |
Schwallier |
Ludington |
5-15 |
5-17 |
5-17 |
9-19 |
10-3 |
10-9 |
Danilovich |
NWMHRS |
5-21 |
5-22 |
5-22 |
9-21 |
10-13 |
10-19 |
Rothwell |
Table 2. 2008 predicted peak harvest dates compared to normal and last year
Days relative to normal * |
Days relative to last year* |
|||||
Station |
McIntosh |
Jons |
Reds |
McIntosh |
Jons |
Reds |
SWMREC |
-3 |
-1 |
+0 |
+17 |
+7 |
+7 |
Deerfield |
-4 |
-4 |
+1 |
+11 |
+10 |
+9 |
Flint |
-2 |
2 |
+3 |
+9 |
+11 |
+10 |
Peach Ridge |
0 |
-1 |
+1 |
+13 |
+8 |
+7 |
Ludington |
+3 |
0 |
+5 |
+5 |
+10 |
+12 |
NWMHRS |
+1 |
-3 |
+4 |
+12 |
+5 |
+5 |
* - = days before, + = days later
Table 3. Normal peak harvest
dates for varieties for
the Grand Rapids area
Variety |
Normal date |
2008 predicted date |
Paulared |
8-24 |
8-24 |
Gingergold |
8-26 |
8-26 |
Gala |
9-10 |
9-11 |
McIntosh |
9-15 |
9-14 |
Honeycrisp |
9-18 |
9-18 |
Empire |
9-22 |
9-21 |
Jonathan |
9-28 |
9-27 |
Jonagold |
9-28 |
9-27 |
Golden Delicious |
10-2 |
9-30 |
Red Delicious |
10-5 |
10-3 |
Idared |
10-10 |
10-9 |
Rome |
10-15 |
10-14 |
Fuji |
10-25 |
10-25 |
Braeburn |
10-25 |
10-25 |
Goldrush |
11-1 |
10-30 |
