Michigan statewide apple maturity report – September 24, 2025
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EmailKeep abreast of the latest apple maturity testing done in different cultivars around the state to optimize harvest times for storage and fresh picking.
This report provides data to compare apple maturity across Michigan. This will include information from multiple regions, but if available you should consult a maturity report from your specific region. Regional reports will include more information, including updates on harvest extenders and pest and disease management.
Predicted harvest dates
Table 1. 2025 predicted peak harvest dates.
| Full bloom date 2025 | Predicted harvest date 2025 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station | McIntosh | Jons | Reds | McIntosh | Jons | Reds | Observer |
| SWMREC | 29-Apr | 30-Apr | 1-May | 2-Sep | 19-Sep | 24-Sep | MSU Enviroweather |
| Deerfield | 26-Apr | 28-Apr | 28-Apr | 29-Aug | 18-Sep | 24-Sep | MSU Enviroweather |
| Romeo | 4-May | 5-May | 6-May | 9-Sep | 22-Sep | 29-Sep | MSU Enviroweather |
| Sparta | 5-May | 6-May | 7-May | 10-Sep | 23-Sep | 30-Sep | MSU Enviroweather |
| Hart | 13-May | 14-May | 14-May | 17-Sep | 3-Oct | 9-Oct | MSU Enviroweather |
| NWMHRS | 16-May | 18-May | 20-May | 19-Sep | 9-Oct | 14-Oct | MSU Enviroweather |
Table 2. 2025 predicted peak harvest dates compared to normal and last year.
| Days -/+ normal | Days -/+ last year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station | McIntosh | Jons | Reds | McIntosh | Jons | Reds |
| SWMREC | -8 | -3 | -4 | 7 | 9 | 7 |
| Deerfield | -12 | -3 | -14 | 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Romeo | -4 | -3 | -4 | 9 | 4 | 5 |
| Sparta | -6 | -3 | -7 | 9 | 7 | 7 |
| Hart | 1 | 0 | -1 | 11 | 10 | 10 |
| NWMHRS | -3 | 3 | -3 | 8 | 13 | 12 |
- Southwest Michigan
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- West central Michigan
- Northwest Michigan
- Southeast Michigan does not currently have an independent apple maturity report
Check out Michigan State University Enviroweather's Growing Degree Days (GDD) Michigan map. Find your closest weather station, create an account on the website, and track GDDs daily.
Maturity tables and summaries
Apple maturity sampling parameters
- Color % = the visual percentage of red color from 0 to 100; range is of all fruits tested
- Firmness in pounds pressure = measured with a Güss Fruit Texture Analyzer; range is of all fruits tested.
- Starch: 1 = all starch, 8 = No starch; range is of all fruits tested. Using Cornell Starch Iodine Index Chart. See the updated MSU starch chart.
- Brix = % sugar measured with Atago PAL-1 Pocket Refractometer
Suggested firmness and starch index for long-term and shorter-term controlled atmosphere (CA) storage by variety:
| Variety | Firmness (lbs)* | Starch Index* | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short CA | Mid-CA | Long CA | Mature | Over-mature | |
| McIntosh | 14 | 15 | 16 | 5 | 7 |
| Gala | 16 | 17 | 18 | 3 | 6 |
| Honeycrisp | 15 | 16 | 17 | 3.5 | 7 |
| Empire | 14 | 15 | 16 | 3.5 | 6 |
| Early Fuji | 16 | 17 | 18 | 3 | 7 |
| Jonagold | 15 | 16 | 17 | 3.5 | 5.5 |
| Jonathan | 14 | 15 | 16 | 3.5 | 5.5 |
| Golden Delicious | 15 | 16 | 17 | 3 | 6.5 |
| Red Delicious | 16 | 17 | 18 | 2.5 | 6 |
| Idared | 14 | 15 | 16 | 3.5 | 6 |
| Fuji | 16 | 17 | 18 | 3 | 7 |
| Rome | 15 | 16 | 18 | 3 | 5.5 |
| Braeburn | 16 | 17 | 18 | 2.5 | 7 |
Southwest Michigan
Growers are mostly through Empire. McIntosh, Honeycrisp and Gala are finished. Jonagold and Golden Delicious harvest are starting. Ida Red is on track to be picked next week. Many other cultivars are a little ahead of the predicted dates for harvest. As we transition to a new southwest tree fruit specialist, there may be gaps in reporting for the next couple weeks.
The Michigan apple crop forecast for 2025 is above average at 30 million bushels, as given in the USApple Crop Outlook on Aug. 15. The following tables give a summary for select varieties that are currently nearing harvest sampled from three orchards in Berrien County.
See our predicted harvest dates for southwest Michigan.
| Cultivar | Collection Date | Red Color (%) | Firmness (lbs) | Starch (1-8) | Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire | 9/22/2025 | 86 | 18.9 | 2.7 | 11.8 |
| Jonagold | 9/22/2025 | 64.5 | 14.3 | 7.1 | 12.5 |
| Golden Delicious | 9/22/2025 | 6.5 | 15.5 | 4.9 | 16.2 |
| Fuji | 9/22/2025 | 54.5 | 18.3 | 3.8 | 12.7 |
| Idared | 9/22/2025 | 75 | 16.4 | 2.6 | 12.3 |
Southeast Michigan
Growers in the warmer parts of the region have moved past Gala and Honeycrisp in addition to wrapping up September Wonder Fuji, Jonathan, Empire and Macs, though some of each may still be available in U-picks. Coming up next are Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Jonagolds and Ida Red. See our predicted harvest dates for southeast Michigan.
Northwest Michigan
Honeycrisp and Gala have reached mature. Growers are working on Honeycrisp orchards, and many will move onto Gala next week. As in many years, it seems the fruit ripens all at the same time, so growers are hustling to harvest. Brix has improved greatly compared to last week, and the brix levels in both varieties are testing from 11.7-12.1 this week. The ranges are much higher compared to the variability in brix we have seen in weeks prior. In the few orchards where we have McIntosh apples, the fruit has been harvested.
See our predicted harvest dates for northwest Michigan.
Apple maturity in northwest Michigan for apples collected on Sept. 22, 2025:
| Variety | Color % | Firmness lbs. | Starch | °Brix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honeycrisp | 76 | 17.5 | 6.2 | 11.7 |
| Gala | 91 | 20.7 | 5 | 10.9 |
West central Michigan
Jonagold is about ready to harvest, but that may depend on parameters required by local processors. Empire harvest has started. Data from Ambrosia and Golden Delicious indicate that harvest can start. Red Delicious is likely to be ready in the next week. Analyses have started in Mutsu, Rome and Idared. See our predicted harvest dates for west central Michigan.
| Variety | Collection Date | Weight (g) | Red Color % | Background | Diameter (in) | Firmness (lb) | Starch | °Brix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambrosia | 9/22/2025 | 191 | 67.5 | 2 | 2.9 | 16.2 | 5.5 | 14.5 |
| Empire | 9/22/2025 | 131 | 77 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 17 | 4.7 | 12.1 |
| Golden Delicious | 9/22/2025 | 172 | 42 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 16.2 | 4.5 | 14.7 |
| Ida Red | 9/22/2025 | 208 | 69 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 15.1 | 2.6 | 12.6 |
| Jonagold | 9/22/2025 | 230 | 89.6 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 15.9 | 5.8 | 13.8 |
| Mutsu | 9/22/2025 | 230 | 16 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 20.1 | 1.7 | 12.6 |
| Red Delicious | 9/22/2025 | 173 | 89 | 1.7 | 2.9 | 17.7 | 2.3 | 13.2 |
| Rome | 9/22/2025 | 170 | 97 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 25.2 | 2.8 | 13.3 |
Grand Rapids region
Jonagold was sampled this week and is ready to harvest, many growers have used harvest extenders and may still be picking Honeycrisp and Gala though the primary harvest is done. Aztec Fuji is at a harvestable starch index and Golden Delicious has progressed quickly. Ambrosia is ready for first pick and Red Delicious harvest is anticipated to be ready next week. See our predicted harvest dates for Grand Rapids.
| Variety | Collection Date | Weight (g) | Red Color % | Background | Diameter (in) | Firmness (lb) | Starch | °Brix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambrosia | 9/22/2025 | 147 | 62 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 18 | 5.8 | 14.2 |
| Aztec Fuji (retain) | 9/22/2025 | 143 | 67 | 4.7 | 2.7 | 20 | 2.4 | 12.6 |
| Empire | 9/22/2025 | 138 | 94 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 20.1 | 2.8 | 11.8 |
| Golden Delicious | 9/22/2025 | 129 | 17.2 | 4.5 | 2.6 | 18.5 | 6.8 | 15.6 |
| Jonagold | 9/22/2025 | 196 | 69 | 3.8 | 3 | 18.2 | 6.8 | 13.8 |
| Jonathan | 9/22/2025 | 141 | 98 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 16.7 | 5.4 | 14.5 |
| Red Delicious | 9/22/2025 | 127 | 94 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 18.3 | 2.4 | 12.2 |
| Snapdragon | 9/22/2025 | 151 | 94.3 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 18.2 | 5.9 | 12.6 |
Upcoming events
Great Lakes Expo
The Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable, and Farm Markets Expo, held annually in early December at the DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is the largest show of its kind in the country. It attracts a diverse audience of apple growers from the Great Lakes region.
This year's apple sections take place on Tuesday, Dec. 9 and Wednesday, Dec. 10.
Sweet and hard cider: Tuesday morning
|
Paula Englin |
MCA Block Grant Report |
|
Mike and Mark Vansteenkiste |
Making award winning sweet and hard cider at Twin Pines Orchard and Cider House in Ontario |
|
Kevin Halfmann |
Regulations on producing unpasteurized cider in Michigan |
|
Wade Syers |
Cider preservation |
Apple 1: Tuesday afternoon
|
Todd Einhorn |
Apple vulnerability to winter freeze and spring frost events |
|
Jackie Perkins |
Climate Change Adaptations for Pest Management |
|
Randy Beaudry |
Evercrisp, but not ever lasting: Are there strategies to help us preserve Evercrisp quality in Controlled Atmosphere |
|
Renfu Lu |
Robotic Apple Harvesting: Is it a Fiction or the Future |
Apple 2: Wednesday afternoon
|
Julianna Wilson |
Trends and Management Updates on Key Apple Pests |
|
George Sundin |
Fire blight and bitter rot updates |
|
Tom Kon |
Lateral branch induction strategies for apple |
|
Poli Francescatto |
Best Practices and Research Updates for ReTain Use |
Apple thinning: Thursday morning
|
Todd Einhorn |
Michigan State University |
|
Tom Kon |
NC State University |
|
Poli Francescatto |
Valent Biosciences |
|
John Cline |
University of Guelph |
|
Randy Beaudry |
Michigan State University |
Cider contest: Wednesday afternoon
The cider contest will judge the best ciders produced by Michigan cider makers (only Michigan cider producers are eligible). Here are some important details for the contest:
To enter, cider producers must submit two 1-gallon cider jugs at the Exhibitor Registration desk in the Grand Gallery concourse in DeVos Place on Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or on Wednesday, Dec. 10, from 8 a.m. to noon. No entries will be accepted after noon on Wednesday.
Cider samples must be thawed by 1 p.m. on Wednesday (this is the responsibility of each cider producer, not the contest coordinator).
Cider contest judging will be on Wednesday afternoon. Judging will be held in one of the main-level Grand Gallery meeting rooms and will be open for viewing starting at 1:30 p.m.
The top five winners will be notified prior to the EXPO Social so they can be in attendance. Winners will be announced at the EXPO Social on Wednesday evening. First place receives a plaque and a traveling trophy. Second and third places receive a plaque.
Don't miss this valuable opportunity to connect with industry experts, gain valuable knowledge and explore the latest advancements in the apple industry.
We look forward to seeing you there!
To get a better sense of the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable, and Farm Market Expo, check out this video.
Related articles
- The 2025 Michigan apple crop forecast, as given at the USApple Outlook meeting
- Predicted apple harvest dates for 2025 from MSU Extension.
- More information on harvest management tools and timings from MSU Extension.
- Post harvest treatments to extend apple life.
- Guidelines from MSU Extension to check for apple maturity in your own orchard, including specific pressure and starch recommendations by variety.
- Predicting apple maturity and starch chart from Cornell University.