As we come to the end of October, the bulk of the 2026 apple harvest is over!
Chatting to some of my agronomist and grower friends today, it seems harvest is moving steadily towards a conclusion by the middle of November. This has become the 'norm' in recent years with the increasing trend of later harvesting varieties.
30 years ago when I decided to 'sell up' and seek a new source of income, Cox was still the major British apple variety. Gala soon to take over the that 'mantle' was increasing steadily as an imported apple and then the leading UK grown apple variety.
30 years ago, it was vital to get harvest underway in early September and critically finish before the variety lost its storage capability.
The cry then from technical advisors was: " it's not so much when you start harvesting Cox but critical when you finish"
To achieve long term storage, keeping Cox until the end of March when the first New Zealand Cox arrived on our shores, fruit pressure (firmness) and starch levels at harvest time of 8.5kg and 70% starch plus high quality storage chambers was the necessary criteria for success. Gala at the time was being stored (meeting it's own similar criteria) until late February.
So growers of Cox and Gala would be finished by the end of September.
Fast forward to today and the process has changed with the arrival of later harvested varieties: Braeburn, Jazz, Magic Star and recently Pink Lady.
Today the leading UK 'grown' apple variety is Gala and with a better understanding of the nutritional needs of the variety 'plus' newer improved Gala clones added to the more sophisticated storage systems, Gala can be kept into the summer months and Breaburn until August. Breaburn the number two UK grown variety is not ready for harvest until early October, just like the number one UK grown club apple Jazz. The 'odd ball' in the pack is Magic Star which 'uniquely' can be eaten straight of the tree at harvest time in October but will still hold firmness and can be stored until the next season.
I remember well my friend Nigel Jenner telling me; "this variety can be stored until August and be introduced to the consumer as an alternative (replacement) for our current early varieties. Starting the new season with (old season) Magic Star!!
Click on: Magic Star story
Below: " I just love this picture of Pink Lady in Kent
The harvest season now starts in late July with a few Discovery and proceeds with Scrumptious in August and Red Windsor in early September followed by Cox and Gala and various other small volume varieties during September, Cameo towards the end of September before the later season varieties; Jazz, Breaburn, Magic Star and Pink Lady.
That is all for this week
Take care
The English Apple Man