2006 Predicted Apple Harvest Dates in Michigan
Apple maturity for 2006 is expected to be near normal in the southern part of the state to one week ahead of normal in the northern part of the state. Most of the state experienced an early end of a mild winter and periods of alternating hot and cold temperatures. As a result, bud growth developed simultaneous from the south to the north. Bloom developed concurrently and was compressed from the south to the north, perhaps one of the most compressed bloom ever.
Early bloom and cool/hot alternating weather give us predicted harvest dates near normal to as much as 10 days ahead of normal (Table 1). These predicted harvest dates are for the center or peak harvest of these varieties for CA storage. This year the 2006 predicted harvest dates are compared to the rough normal harvest dates and last year's predicted harvest dates.
Table 1. 2006 predicted peak harvest dates.
| Full bloom date | Predicted harvest date | ||||||
| Station | McIntosh | Jons | Reds | McIntosh | Jons | Reds | Observer |
| SWMREC | 4-29 | 5-1 | 5-3 | 9-4 | 9-20 | 9-29 | Shane |
| Deerfield | 4-29 | 5-2 | 5-4 | 9-1 | 9-20 | 9-27 | Tritten |
| Flint | 5-1 | 5-4 | 5-5 | 9-3 | 9-23 | 9-29 | Tritten |
| Peach Ridge | 5-2 | 5-3 | 5-4 | 9-6 | 9-23 | 9-30 | Schwallier |
| Ludington | 5-10 | 5-11 | 5-11 | 9-13 | 10-4 | 10-10 | Danilovich |
| NWMHRS | 5-8 | 5-12 | 5-12 | 9-10 | 10-2 | 10-8 | Nugent |
This year the state will harvest apples roughly the same as last year to one week ahead of last year (Table 2).
Table 2. 2006 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 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -3 |
| Deerfield | 7 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Flint | 7 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| Peach Ridge | 6 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Ludington | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -5 | -2 |
| NWMHRS | 10 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
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 2006 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 3. Normal peak harvest dates for varieties for the Grand Rapids area.
| Variety | Normal date | 2006 predicted date |
| Paulared | 8-24 | 8-18 |
| Gingergold | 9-2 | 8-26 |
| Gala | 9-10 | 9-3 |
| McIntosh | 9-15 | 9-6 |
| Honeycrisp | 9-18 | 9-12 |
| Empire | 9-20 | 9-14 |
| Jonathan | 9-28 | 9-23 |
| Jonagold | 9-28 | 9-23 |
| Golden Delicious | 10-2 | 9-25 |
| Red Delicious | 10-5 | 9-30 |
| Idared | 10-10 | 10-2 |
| Rome | 10-15 | 10-9 |
| Fuji | 10-25 | 10-20 |
| Braeburn | 10-25 | 10-20 |
| Goldrush | 11-1 | 10-26 |
