Southwest Michigan apple maturity report – August 20, 2025
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EmailHarvest is approaching for many early season apple varieties in southwest Michigan, with some varieties expected to be harvested a week earlier than normal depending on location.
This is our weekly southwest region apple maturity report. Reports are sent out following the Michigan State University Extension fruit team apple maturity calls on Wednesday morning. View Michigan State University (MSU) Extension’s Apple Maturity page for regional reports throughout the state and additional resources.
2025 Overview
Crop loads in southwest Michigan are generally good, with some light crops due to some poor pollination conditions during bloom, hail damage and ongoing dry conditions. In general, apples in central southwest Michigan are predicted to mature a few days to a week ahead of normal due to warm temperatures in the month after bloom. Crop maturity monitoring will be especially important this year to avoid storage problems. The Michigan apple crop forecast for 2025 is above average at 30 million bushels, as given at the USApple Crop Outlook on Aug. 15.
Gala (Standard)
Early season Gala strains such as Wildfire and Foxtrot are already mature and generally have already been harvested. The table gives a summary for main season Gala varieties sampled from three orchards in Berrien County. Gala shows a range of maturities, primarily testing immature but nearing maturity according to the starch and firmness tests. The predicted harvest date for 2025 for central Berrien County is Sept. 10, which is approximately one week ahead of the normal for the region.
|
Collection Date |
Red Color (%) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch (1-8) |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Aug. 18 |
59.5 (40-90) |
20.6 (16.1 – 23.6) |
1.5 (1-2) |
10.75 (10.2-11.3) |
*Starch values according to the 1-8 scale developed by Cornell University.
Mac
Strains tested include Ruby and Linda Mac. Starch indices are in the immature range, below the mature threshold of 5. Fruit firmness is looking promising for storage at this point. Predicted harvest date for central Berrien County in 2025 is Sept. 2, about a week earlier than normal.
|
Collection Date |
Red Color (%) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch (1-8) |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Aug. 18 |
24 (0-60) |
18.1 (14.5-20.9) |
1.5 (1-2) |
12.15 (11.7-12.6) |
Honeycrisp
This variety is averaging 1.3 for the starch test—the mature starch threshold is 3.5. The current average firmness reading is 19.5 pounds, compared to the long-term controlled atmosphere (CA) target value of 16 pounds. The predicted peak harvest date for central Berrien County is around Sept. 10. See “Comprehensive Honeycrisp harvest and storage recommendations” by MSU researcher Randy Beaudry for Honeycrisp harvest and storage recommendations.
|
Collection Date |
Red Color (%) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch (1-8) |
Soluble Solids (Brix) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Aug. 18 |
43.8 (15-70) |
19.5 (15.8-22.6) |
1.3 (1-2) |
12.8 |
*Starch values according to the 1-8 scale developed by Cornell University.
Empire
This variety is averaging 1.4 for the starch test—the mature starch threshold is 3.5. The current average firmness reading is 24.3 pounds, so fruit are still very firm. The predicted peak harvest date for central Berrien County for fresh market CA storage is Sept. 16, perhaps a few days earlier than normal. Early pickings could be recommended for taffy apples.
|
Collection Date |
Red Color (%) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch (1-8) |
Soluble Solids (Brix) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Aug. 18 |
53 (25-85) |
24.3 (22-26.8) |
1.4 (1-2) |
9.9 |
*Starch values according to the 1-8 scale developed by Cornell University.
Apple maturity sampling parameters
- Color % = the visual percentage of red color (blush) from 0 to 100; range shown is for the orchard averages.
- Firmness in lbs pressure, skin off, as measured with a FT Penetrometer; range is for the site averages.
- Starch: 1 = all starch (solid blue staining), 8 = no starch (white); range is for the site averages. Starch Iodine Index Chart.
- Brix = % sugar measured with Atago PAL-1 Pocket Refractometer
|
Suggested firmness and starch index levels 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 |
See the following helpful resources for more information:
- 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.
