For the last few weeks, the hot and humid atmosphere has felt a bit more like a normal Michigan summer. But as we get closer to apple harvest, temps are going to need to drop a bit.
“Cool temperatures at night promote anthocyanin production, so all the red pigments and color, flavor development, and quality in apples that’s really improved by cool night temperatures,” said Anna Wallis, apple production specialist with MSU Extension during a Michigan Apple Facebook Live event. “We really hope to have cooler nights as we get into August.”
Compared to the spring and fall, there’s not much management going on this time of year. Amy Irish-Brown, commercial tree fruit IPM educator, says there’s also a lull in terms of insects.
“Particularly in the springtime is when there’s a lot going on in pest management, so a lot of the diseases are present and we have to manage to keep those from getting out of hand when we have lots of lush, green foliage and wet conditions,” she said. “As we move into the summertime, things tend to get a little simpler. Growers enlist the help of scouts and industry representatives to help them pay attention—be the eyes and ears out here—to make sure there aren’t any populations of some insects that are getting too high.”
They also monitor with pheromone traps to keep track of the lifecycle and pinpoint the timing to avoid over spraying.
“It’s so you don’t have to spray multiple times—hopefully you spray at the exact right time, trying to be real precise about that to protect the environment and use integrated pest management,” said Irish-Brown. “We’re using all the tools we have available to us, which includes monitoring and paying attention to the insect development.”
Irish-Brown said apples are entering the home stretch. Gala apples, which are usually the first apples harvested, are anticipated to be ready the first week of September.
“We had an early spring, so everything is tracking a little early this year, but there’s a lot of growth that has to happen the next five, six weeks,” said Irish-Brown.
