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 [09.15.26]
Weekly Update (09.15.2026)
Above average temperatures continue to influence the 2026 harvest season. This season continues to break records for growing degree day accumulation. Advanced maturity and poor red fruit color development on sensitive varieties are a recurring theme. Over the course of the past month, low temperatures have dropped below 60 °F on 7 days in Mills River, NC (Figure 1). During this same interval, low temperatures dropped below 55 °F on 0 days.
Fig.1 Plot of daily maximum and minimum temperatures from Aug. 18 to Sep. 17, 2026 in Mills River, NC. Data and figure courtesy of the NC Climate Office.
Excessive heat near harvest can also promote some physiological disorders, such as watercore. Both low and high temperatures during the harvest period are associated with increased watercore development.
A dramatic shift in our weather pattern is anticipated next week. While more seasonable temperatures are anticipated, this system may also bring several days unsettled, rainy weather. Cooler weather and meaningful rainfall would be welcomed for many.
MAIA-1 (Evercrisp®) starch pattern index averaged 3 this week and fruit firmness (20.5 lbs) decreased another 1.3 lb from last week (Table 1, Figure 2). Marketable blush decreased to 0.5% this week likely due to sampling variation.
Granny Smith fruit quality parameters remain relatively the same this week and will likely be approaching maturity soon (Table 2, Figure 3).
DT2 (Aztec® Fuji) had some notable changes this week indicating maturity in all fruit quality parameters but marketable blush still remains low at 12% (Table 3, Figure 4).
Cripps Pink (Maslin) were evaluated for the first time this season and are immature at this sampling interval (Table 4, Figure 5).
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 15 | 20.5 | 13.1 | 3.0 | 216 | 3.03 | 0.5 |
| 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 2. MAIA-1 (Evercrisp®) superficial appearance at the stem-end (top), shoulder (middle), and starch pattern (bottom) on 09.15.2026 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 15 | 16.0 | 11.1 | 2.8 | 239 | 3.28 | n/a |
| 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 3. Granny Smith superficial appearance at the stem-end (top), shoulder (middle), and starch pattern (bottom) on 09.15.2026 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 15 | 18.7 | 14.8 | 4.3 | 249 | 3.25 | 12 |
| 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 4. DT2 (Aztec® Fuji) superficial appearance at the stem-end (top), shoulder (middle), and starch pattern (bottom) on 09.15.2026 in Edneyville, NC.
Cripps Pink (Maslin)
| Table 4. 2026 Cripps Pink (Maslin) 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 15 | 19.8 | 10.6 | 1.6 | 180 | 3.00 | 0 |
Figure 5. Cripps Pink (Maslin) superficial appearance at the stem-end (top), shoulder (middle), and starch pattern (bottom) on 09.15.2026 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! 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.
