Grand Rapids area apple maturity report – October 14, 2026
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EmailAmbrosia, Fuji, and Evercrisp are being harvested.
Apple maturity testing will occur weekly for the Grand Rapids/Ridge region through the end of harvest. Reports will be sent out every week following the Michigan State University Extension fruit team apple maturity calls on Wednesday mornings.
In the Grand Rapids Ridge region, Mutzu, Ambrosia and Red Delicious are being harvested this week. Fujis and Idareds are close to maturity or at maturity. Evercrisp and Pink Lady are still immature.
How to read maturity tables
Each week, an apple maturity report will be provided and will include average values for several apple samples for varieties nearing maturity. Maximum and minimum values are included in tables below for the highest and lowest individual fruits evaluated for each, to give a full spectrum of maturity. Samples included in the reports have been untreated with ReTain or Harvista, unless otherwise noted. Samples were collected from 2-5 locations across Kent and Ottawa counties.
For more information about apple maturity testing, review these resources compiled by the MSU Extension tree fruit team.
- Predicted apple harvest dates for 2026 from MSU.
- More information on harvest management tools and timings can be found in this article.
- Guidelines from MSU to check for apple maturity in your own orchard, including specific pressure and starch recommendations by variety.
- New starch charts for evaluating apple maturity in Michigan from Michigan State University
- Predicting apple maturity and starch chart from Cornell University.
- Starch chart for Honeycrisp Apples developed by Washington State University.
Harvest
Idared, Fuji, and some leftover Red Delicious are being harvested this week. Evercrisp will be harvest later into the week and next week. Pink Lady will follow soon after. Double check prediction dates and PHIs before applying Retain and Harvista.
Maturity information for the Grand Rapids/Ridge Region
Fuji
Fuji were sampled from three locations in Kent and Ottawa County this week. Samples in the table below are for Aztec Fujis. Red color is at 75%. Background color is light green at 2.7. Fruit firmness is at 16 lbs. of pressure. Starch is an average of 4.7, and sugars are an average of 13.2 °Brix.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch (1-8) |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 28 |
463 (490-410) |
74.7 (95-71) |
2.7 (4-2) |
16.1 (19.2-14.7) |
4.2 (7-2) |
11.3 (12.7-10) |
|
Oct 12 |
224 (226-221) |
74.5 (90-50) |
2.7 (4-2) |
15.7 (16.7-14.2) |
4.7 (7-2) |
13.2 (13.9-12.4) |
Evercrisp
Fruit were sampled from four locations in Kent and Ottawa County. Red color is at 81%. Background color is light green, and fruit is ripe. Average pressure is 21 lbs, and starch rating averaged at 3.4. Sugars are at 14 °Brix. Some watercore was found in a few samples.
|
Collection Date |
Fruit Weight (g) |
Red Color (%) |
Background color (5-1) |
Firmness (lbs) |
Starch (1-8) |
Soluble Solids (°Brix) |
|
Sep 28 |
445 (483-423)
|
72 (95-58)
|
4.3 (5-3.6) |
24.9 (28.7-23.78) |
1.53 (3-1.2) |
12.3 (12.4-0) |
|
Oct 12 |
232 (238 -219) |
81(100-79) |
2.2 (4-1.9) |
20.8 (26-18.18) |
3.4 (7-2.6) |
14 (15.1-13) |
Apple maturity sampling parameters
- Color % = the visual percentage of red color from 0 to 100; range is of all fruits tested. Indicates surface area covered in red and intensity of red color.
- Background color: 5 = Green, 1 = Yellow; range is of all fruits tested.
- Firmness in pounds pressure = measured with a Güss Fruit Texture Analyzer; range is of all fruits tested.
- Starch For Honeycrisp: will typically be rated using the standard Michigan State University starch scale (1-8). However, a separate starch chart for Honeycrisp Apples developed by Washington State University (scale 1-6) also exists.
- Brix = % sugar measured with Atago PAL-1 Pocket Refractometer
Looking for more? View Michigan State University Extension’s Apple page for regional reports throughout the state and additional resources.
|
Suggested firmness and starch index levels for long-term and shorter-term controlled atmosphere (CA) storage by variety. |
|||||
|
Variety |
Firmness (pounds)* |
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 |
6 |
|
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 |
|
Brix Guide |
Low |
Fair |
Good |
Excellent |
|
All varieties |
Less than 11 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
|
Honeycrisp |
Less than 12 |
12 |
12 |
Greater than 14 |
