When to pick apples: A harvest season guide

Apple season is in full swing! Asking ourselves which apples are in season and when is the best time to go apple picking in your local orchards.

September is generally the best time of year to pick apples. While different apples ripen at different times and show different indications of maturity. Climate variations in temperature, water, and sunlight all affect the ripening pattern of apples and can change year to year, early fall is almost always a reliable time for harvesting apples.

Granny Smith and Fuji apples are a mid-season variety that is ready in late September to early October. As Cripps Pink and Fuji are a Late variety and ripen in late October-November. Since the timing of apple season varies, it’s helpful to watch the apples for signs of ripening.

When are apples ready to be picked?

Depending on the cultivar of the apple and the weather during the growing season are huge factors of apple ripening. Apples picked too early are tart, small, and lacking in peel color. Apples picked too late can be soft, mealy, and prone to quick deterioration in storage. What are the signs of apple ripeness?

Signs of apple ripeness

• The apple stem separates easily from the branch. Under-ripe apples don’t come off the tree easily.
• Check the firmness. Mature apples are firm and crisp, but not hard. Apples shouldn’t be soft or easily bruised.
• Take a bite! The taste of ripe apples is crisp and juicy, not starchy and tangy. An apple’s acidity and starch content decrease as it ripens.
• The background peel/skin color (the part of the apple skin that isn’t red) changes from green to yellow (unless it’s a green apple variety).
• The color of the peel inside the stem indentation changes from green to yellow.
• The apple’s flesh is cream or white instead of light green.
• The apple’s seeds turn from white to brown.

Now we know how to tell if an apple is ripe but what type of apples are you picking?

Fall apples: Mid-season apple varieties

Fall-ripening apples are generally picked in September and October, classic for “going apple picking”.

• McIntosh Apple (September)
• Honeycrisp Apple (September)
• Cortland Apple (September)
• Golden Delicious Apple (September)
• Ambrosia Apple (September)
• Jonathan Apple (September)
• Empire Apple (September)
• Jonagold Apple (September-October)
• Gala Apple (September-October)
• Red Delicious Apple (September-October)
• Cox’s Orange Pippin Apple (September-October)

Drop us a line for more information on Apples.