Preparing for harvest:  A clarification and some final words
Terence L Bradshaw

In last month's newsletter (http://orchard.uvm.edu/uvmapple/newsletter/2000/VAN07182000/index.html) we discussed using the Cornell formula for predicting harvest date for McIntosh bound for CA storage.  One important piece was left out of this explanation, that being that the harvest date determined through using this formula refers to the last date for picking McIntosh for satisfactory CA storage.  Growers who use this date as a baseline must therefore count back days within the harvest window to determine when to begin picking their fruit.  The dates predicted in last month's newsletter are as such:

Of course, we strongly recommend that growers also use other indicators to determine their picking date, including size, red color, seed color, and especially starch indexing.  We will again be supplying growers with potassium iodine solution for this purpose, and we have extra copies of Cornell University's Information Bulletin 221: " Predicting Harvest Date Windows for Apples" for distribution. This publication contains what we consider to be the best generic (i.e. not variety-specific) SI chart available, as well as other important information to help growers plan their harvest including the above mentioned formula.
Growers who need iodine solution or the Cornell guide should feel free to contact me anytime at (802)656-0490 or tbradsha@zoo.uvm.edu.  Shoreham area growers may also pick up iodine solution at the Shoreham Co-op, where Don Selby has graciously offered to be a distribution point for member and non-member growers alike.