In cooperation with the Henderson County Master Pomology Program, we initiated an effort to monitor apple fruit maturity in commercial orchards in Henderson County, NC. The goal of this program is to provide timely updates regarding fruit maturity of several apple cultivars in the region. Data will be presented weekly to commercial apple growers via web-based updates to partly aid in harvest management decisions. Please note that the data presented is limited to the specific orchard block that we used for sampling. Do not assume that fruit at your location are at the same stage of maturity. To be clear, there is no substitute for regular monitoring of fruit quality parameters at your own operation.
2026 Apple Maturity Program [09.08.26]
Weekly Update (09.08.2026)
MAIA-1 (Evercrisp®) fruit firmness (21.8 lbs) decreased 1 lb from last week and soluble solids (13.3%) has increased 16% this week. Average starch pattern index is hovering at 2 again this week. These apples remain immature at this sampling interval (Table 1, Figure 1).
Granny Smith starch pattern index averaged 2.7 this week with some variability in sampling ranging from 2 to 5. Fruit firmness (16.4 lb) and soluble solids (11.1%) have decreased 6% from last week. With fruit firmness decreasing ~1 lb per week this season and approaching the 15 lb standard, these apples will likely be ready for harvest shortly (Table 2, Figure 2).
DT2 (Aztec® Fuji) are gradually progressing toward maturity but marketable blush remains low at 8% and needs more time to advance in color (Table 3, Figure 3).
MAIA-1 (Evercrisp®)
| Table 1. 2026 MAIA-1 (Evercrisp®) fruit quality parameters in Edneyville, NC. | ||||||
| Date | Fruit Firmness (lbs.) | Soluble Solids (%) | Starch pattern (1 to 8 scale) | Fruit Weight (g) | Fruit Diameter (inches) | Marketable Blush (%) |
| Sep 09 | 21.8 | 13.3 | 2.0 | 210 | 3.02 | 6 |
| Sep 01 | 22.8 | 11.5 | 2.1 | 201 | 3.06 | 0 |
Figure 1. MAIA-1 (Evercrisp®) superficial appearance at the stem-end (top), shoulder (middle), and starch pattern (bottom) on 09.08.2026 in Edneyville, NC.
Granny Smith
| Table 2. 2026 Granny Smith fruit quality parameters in Edneyville, NC. | ||||||
| Date | Fruit Firmness (lbs.) | Soluble Solids (%) | Starch pattern (1 to 8 scale) | Fruit Weight (g) | Fruit Diameter (inches) | Marketable Blush (%) |
| Sep 09 | 16.4 | 11.1 | 2.7 | 227 | 3.21 | n/a |
| Sep 01 | 17.5 | 10.4 | 2.6 | 222 | 3.21 | n/a |
| Aug 25 | 18.0 | 10.2 | 2.2 | 188 | 3.04 | n/a |
| Aug 18 | 18.4 | 10.1 | 1.7 | 176 | 2.92 | n/a |
Figure 2. Granny Smith superficial appearance at the stem-end (top), shoulder (middle), and starch pattern (bottom) on 09.08.2026 in Edneyville, NC.
DT2 (Aztec® Fuji)
| Table 3. 2026 DT2 (Aztec® Fuji) fruit quality parameters in Edneyville, NC. | ||||||
| Date | Fruit Firmness (lbs.) | Soluble Solids (%) | Starch pattern (1 to 8 scale) | Fruit Weight (g) | Fruit Diameter (inches) | Marketable Blush (%) |
| Sep 09 | 19.3 | 13.8 | 3.9 | 199 | 3.03 | 8 |
| Sep 01 | 20.1 | 13.1 | 3.3 | 205 | 2.98 | 6 |
| Aug 25 | 21.7 | 12.3 | 3.8 | 207 | 3.05 | 6 |
Figure 3. Granny Smith superficial appearance at the stem-end (top), shoulder (middle), and starch pattern (bottom) on 09.08.2026 in Edneyville, NC.
If of interest, please see our previous posts for more detailed information on how to manage fruit maturity. Specifically:
- Using PGRs to Manage Apple Preharvest Drop, Fruit Maturity, and Harvest Timing
- Apple Harvest Management Considerations: Special Focus on Gala
When should I harvest?
Optimal harvest timing is dictated by multiple factors, especially the intended market. While one size does not fit all, please see this resource from Michigan State University for some general guidelines.
Acknowledgements
We are very grateful for the cooperation of Pat Lancaster and the team at Grandad's Apples for hosting this project. Thank you for your generous access to your farm and fruit! This work would not be possible without my excellent colleague, co-author, and technician, Tatiana Zuber. We sincerely appreciate the great work of the Henderson County Master Pomology Program. This dedicated team of volunteers inspired the initiation of this pilot program and is assisting with data collection. I will share more information about this group in the near future.
