Predicted 2019 apple harvest dates

The predicted apple harvest dates are roughly a week later than normal, and southeast Michigan is only a few days behind normal.

Apple bin
Photo by Amy Irish-Brown, MSU Extension

The predicted harvest dates are now available at all locations on the Michigan State University Enviroweather website. Once again, we have experienced a cool to cold late winter climate that delayed the development of spring buds. Most of the state experienced a late bloom except the very southeast part of Michigan. In general, 2019 predicted harvest dates are roughly a week later than normal. Southeast Michigan is only a few days behind normal.

As always, the weather seems to be unusual each year and 2019 was no different. It began with another very late spring. Most areas bloomed quite late except southeast Michigan areas. Cool to cold weather persisted well into June. In general, apple blocks have a mix of cropload, some light and some heavy areas, but mostly moderate croploads. Blocks with light croploads will mature three or four days sooner then the predicted harvest dates. Heavy croploads will mature seven days later than the predicted dates. If hot, stressful weather occurs in August or September, apple maturity will be advanced.

The 2019 predicted harvest dates are listed in Table 1. This year, we are about a week behind last year and a week behind normal. Table 2 lists this year’s predictions compared to normal and last year.

The normal harvest dates for other varieties are listed in Table 3 for the Grand Rapids, Michigan, area. This year's predicted dates for other non-modeled varieties 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.

ReTain application should be applied 30 days before harvest. Harvista can be applied three to seven days before harvest. Use Table 3 to time ReTain applications and adjust for varieties and locations.

Table 1. 2019 predicted peak harvest dates.

Full bloom date 2019

Predicted harvest date 2019

Station

McIntosh

Jons

Reds

McIntosh

Jons

Reds

Observer

SWMREC

May 15

May 16

May 17

Sept. 16

Sept. 30

Oct. 7

Bill Shane

Deerfield

May 9

May 11

May 12

Sept. 9

Sept. 25

Oct. 5

Bob Tritten

Romeo

May 16

May 17

May 18

Sep. 16

Oct. 1

Oct. 7

Bob Tritten

Peach Ridge

May 19

May 21

May 22

Sept. 20

Oct. 6

Oct. 11

Amy Irish-Brown

Hart

May 25

May 25

May 26

Sept. 26

Oct. 10

Oct. 17

Amy Irish-Brown

NWMHRS

May 29

May 30

May 30

Sept. 30

Oct. 11

Oct. 21

Nikki Rothwell

 

Table 2. 2019 predicted peak harvest dates compared to normal and last year.

Days behind normal

Days behind of last year

Station

McIntosh

Jons

Reds

McIntosh

Jons

Reds

SWMREC

9

7

9

8

6

6

Deerfield

1

3

3

4

3

7

Romeo

3

6

4

10

8

8

Peach Ridge

5

11

6

6

9

9

Hart

8

7

3

7

11

10

NWMHRS

8

4

4

10

9

12

 

Table 3. Normal and 2019 peak harvest dates for varieties for the Grand Rapids area.

Variety

Normal date

2019 predicted date

Paulared

Aug. 24

Aug. 30

Gingergold

Aug. 26

Sept. 1

Gala

Sept. 10

Sept. 15

McIntosh

Sept. 15

Sept. 20

Honeycrisp

Sept. 18

Sept. 23

Empire

Sept. 24

Sept. 30

Jonathan

Sept. 26

Oct. 6

Jonagold

Sept. 26

Oct. 6

Golden Delicious

Oct. 2

Oct. 8

Red Delicious

Oct. 5

Oct. 11

Idared

Oct. 10

Oct. 15

Rome

Oct. 15

Oct. 20

Fuji

Oct. 25

Oct. 28

Braeburn

Oct. 25

Oct. 28

Goldrush

Nov. 1

Nov. 3

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