Later varieties have colored this last week and sugars remain high across the board for varieties and location as measured by BRIX. In all the blocks I visited the last Fruit continues to mature days early for most cultivars. Cool night temperatures in the 40’s last night with sunny days have triggered good color development. Sunny days and cool nights in the fifties forecast all week should bring on great color.
Note: Apple varieties across north
Jersey are continuing to mature early. Some are really pushing early like
Golden Delicious and Empire with very high sugars, they look to be 14 days
early on samples tested, same with Mcoun. Others are a little closer to normal
but I think we still come on early.
The bottom line
is walk your blocks every few days and check maturity! There are still some
surprises out there.
Maturity and Variety Updates
Early Fuji- Almost all first pics have
been completed.
Hunterdon
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Firmness
|
Brix
|
Starch
|
RisingSun
|
SndyerFarm
|
09/10
|
yes
|
12.6
|
12.8
|
4.6
|
Cortland
Hunterdon
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Firmness
|
Brix
|
StarchIodine
|
RedCort
|
SndyerFarm
|
09/10
|
yes
|
13.9
|
12.1
|
2
|
RedCort
|
Califont
|
9/10
|
yes
|
13.7
|
14.4
|
1
|
Warren
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Firmness
|
Brix
|
StarchIodine
|
RedCort
|
Hackettstown
|
09/10
|
yes
|
12.5
|
12.2
|
1.5
|
Morris
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Firmness
|
Brix
|
StarchIodine
|
RedCort
|
HardingTxp
|
09/10
|
yes
|
13.5
|
13.4
|
1.5
|
Jonathan
Morris
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Firmness
|
Brix
|
StarchIodine
|
Jonathan
|
HardingTwp
|
09/10
|
yes
|
14.2
|
14
|
5.2
|
Liberty- 'Liberty' resulted from a cross, 'Macoun' x
Purdue 54-12, made in 1955.
Its apple scab disease resistance comes from malus
floribunda. The fruit of 'Liberty' is a deep dark red over 90 per cent of
the surface. The ground color is yellowish. fruit quality 'Liberty' is a very tasty apple when --
pay attention here! -- picked fully ripe. It has a flavor reminiscent of
freshly-squeezed apple cider, and is hard to put down when you start eating
one. I sometimes refer to it as the 'cider apple.' I suspect it has inherited
some of it's great flavor and crunch from 'Macoun,' which if you are not
familiar, has developed a 'cult-like' following in some areas of New England.
'Liberty' also makes excellent fresh and hard cider.
Because of its taste and crunch it is drawing a
following in New York City at the Green Markets. For the full description and
Cornell release fact sheet in liberty go to:
Our Liberty at the Snyder farm is not quite ready
and is about 10 days away. Liberty should always be treated with Retain to
ensure uniform ripening and maintain its unique quality. Liberty fruit is best
stored for 2-3 weeks before eating to develop its full varietal flavors.
Hunterdon
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Firmness
|
Brix
|
StarchIodine
|
Liberty
|
SndyerFarm
|
09/10
|
yes
|
18.5
|
11.2
|
2.1
|
Jonagold-
is ready at
several locations and is starting to have enough color. For Jonagold we would
like to see a 6 on starch for retail sales and 14-16% brix.
I tested no Jonagold
this week but probably should have, the Jonagold blocks I have seen had no
color until the beginning of this week.
Empire- is running 10- for harvest in any samples tested. In Hunterdon County
our Empires were harvested last week. We would look for starch of 5-6, brix of
13-14%, pressure 16 lbs.
Warren
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Firmness
|
Brix
|
StarchIodine
|
EmpireHouse
|
Hackettstown
|
09/10
|
yes
|
15.4
|
12
|
2.2
|
EmpireTop
|
Hackettstown
|
09/10
|
yes
|
16.6
|
11.8
|
1.5
|
Hunterdon
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Pressure
|
Brix
|
StarchIodine
|
Empire
|
Snyder
|
9/8
|
yes
|
13.8
|
10.8
|
3.8
|
Empire
|
Califont
|
9/10
|
Yes
|
14.0
|
12.3
|
3.1
|
Morris
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Pressure
|
Brix
|
StarchIodine
|
Empire
|
HardingTwp
|
9/10
|
yes
|
18
|
13.4
|
3.6
|
Macoun- Maturity is coming fast, sugar is there. If treated with Retain they
can hang another week. Growers that didn’t use Retain are seeing drop already.
Hunterdon County growers and NY growers in the Hudson Valley are spot picking
by color.
Warren
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Firmness
|
Brix
|
Starch
|
Macoun
|
Hackettstown
|
09/10
|
yes
|
14.8
|
12.7
|
2.4
|
Hunterdon
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Pressure
|
Brix
|
StarchIodine
|
Macoun
|
SnyderFarm
|
9/10
|
yes
|
15.7
|
11.2
|
3.3
|
Red Delicious-
Warren
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Firmness
|
Brix
|
StarchIodine
|
RedChief
RedDelicious
|
Hackettstown
|
9/10
|
yes
|
15.2
|
10.4
|
2.8
|
Hunterdon
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Firmness
|
Brix
|
StarchIodine
|
Ace
RedD
|
SndyerFarm
|
09/8
|
yes
|
14.8
|
9.5
|
2.0
|
Morris
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Firmness
|
Brix
|
StarchIodine
|
RedChief
|
HardingTwp
|
09/10
|
yes
|
17.2
|
10.7
|
3.1
|
Golden Delicious- is maturing a bit earlier in Hunterdon and Morris.
Hunterdon
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Firmness
|
Brix
|
StarchIodine
|
GibsonGolden
|
SndyerFarm
|
09/10
|
yes
|
15.3
|
12.5
|
5.3
|
GibsonGolden
|
Califont
|
9/10
|
no
|
16
|
16.8
|
4.0
|
Crispen (Mutsu) widely planted in western NY as a high quality eating apple, large size
and green color. A pink/yellow blush on the cheek are characteristics of this
cultivar.
Hunterdon
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Firmness
|
Brix
|
StarchIodine
|
Crispen
|
SndyerFarm
|
09/08
|
yes
|
14.1
|
12.0
|
2.3
|
Crispen
|
Califont
|
9/10
|
yes
|
15.1
|
10.8
|
1.6
|
Morris
|
Location
|
Date
|
Retain
|
Firmness
|
Brix
|
StarchIodine
|
Crispen
|
HardingTwp
|
09/10
|
yes
|
18.6
|
12.8
|
1.7
|
What the
numbers mean
Several
growers have asked for a bit of information on what the numbers mean in our
brix and starch iodine tests. The SI is a measure of how much starch has
converted to sugar. The lower the number the more “immature” the fruit is. The
higher the number the more “mature” the fruit is. We like to have an SI of
between 5-6 to harvest for retail sales. Brix is a measure of sugar content of
fruit. A brix of at least 12 percent should be present for acceptable eating
quality. Fruit firmness is also an excellent indicator of maturity and the
“crunch factor”. For most varieties I would like to see firmness of at least 16
lbs at harvest. The exception is Honeycrisp. It has excellent crunch at 13-14
lbs fruit firmness. Studies have shown that it has double the number of cells
that give it its unique crunchy texture.
Note: This report takes approximately two days
to prepare in collecting and testing samples and in preparation of the text and
data. A note of thanks to all who make this report possible beginning
with all the growers who participate, Suzanne Solner-Figler research assist an
the Rutgers Sndyer Farm. Thank you to Ed Dager and Geff Slifer of the Rutgers
Sndyer Farm for assisting with all aspects of fruit production at Sndyer. Thank
you also to Dave Johnson our Master Gardner volunteer who has donated countless
hours to our tree fruit research program. Most importantly thank you to the
growers for allowing me to sample their blocks.
