Fruit drop time based on location

[Native Hunter]

Most of us have known for a long time that the ripening / drop times of any given cultivar of apple, pear, etc. will vary based on where you live. For instance, I've noticed many times that the guys far north of me will have later drop times for apples like Liberty, etc. that many of us grow. However, I have never seen any kind of chart or other guide that estimates just how much this would vary from place to place.

For instance, the drop time chart at Blue Hills shows Ayers Pear dropping from about September 1 through September 30. All of mine have fallen by the middle of August. They show Yates Apple finishing in early December, but for me that will be early November.

All of this makes perfect sense, since it starts warming up earlier in the south. The only reason I bring it up is that if anyone has a chart or other information about this, I would like to see it. I also bring it up, because some people new to fruit growing may not have thought of this, and it could help them in choosing fruit cultivars.

Thanks in advance for any info you may have to share.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I have no chart, but you bring up a good point, Native. I'm sure some university(ies) have such info, but I wouldn't know where to look.

 

[OakSeeds]

seek and ye shall find ….

https://www.starkbros.com/downloads/RipeningCharts.pdf

 

[woodduck]

I have also searched and asked around from time to time on drop times but always came up pretty empty handed. I am excited Blue Hill has a drop time chart on there website and feel it will be accurate for me at my location (within a week or so) As I am only about 200 miles west of his location. As stated though it may vary for others in different parts of the country. Maybe we could somehow create a (drop time chart by location) sticky here where anyone could post there variety and it's drop time.

 

[yoderjac]

seek and ye shall find ….

https://www.starkbros.com/downloads/RipeningCharts.pdf

ACN and others have those kind of charts but they don't seem location adjusted.

 

[gunfun13]

I've seen the ripening charts, but can't drop time differentiate quite substantially from ripening time? I don't have enough producing trees yet to know.

 

[Prof.Kent]

Drop times would be later as the Zone number decreases.

 

[Freeborn]

I'm in 3B and my Liberties are not ready yet and the table has them done by Sept 10th-15th. They have Zestar by Aug 10-20th and mine were picked the 1st week of September. I would adjust 3-4 weeks for zone 3B.

 

[Prof.Kent]

Libertys are ripe the end of September in Zone 5 and start to drop slowly then.

 

[Native Hunter]

I've seen the ripening charts, but can't drop time differentiate quite substantially from ripening time? I don't have enough producing trees yet to know.

Yes, that depends on the cultivar. Some apples drop easily once they ripen, and others will keep hanging until they rot unless strong winds take a few down.

What I'm really interested in is something that shows the same information as Blue Hills but adjusted for different parts of the country. For instance, that same chart made into several charts - Jacksonville Florida; Atlanta Georgia; Fayetteville Tennessee; Booger Hollow Kentucky; Indianapolis Indiana, Etc, Etc, Etc...….. I would like to see this in one document so that you could see how it changes at different locations.

 

[rocksnstumps]

Drop times would be later as the Zone number decreases.

In general yes but those close enough to the Great Lakes have other factors too. Case in point, Door County WI is zone 5b and so is the northern part of MO also zone 5b. Door County much further north of course and expect daylight conditions have an impact. A quick check, Door County has median growing season 148 days while Bethany, MO is listed at 159 days.

Would think that elevation plays a big role in some areas of the country too although would expect zone numbers lower with higher local elevations

Just some other factors to complicate things.

 

[yoderjac]

I think a zone drop table would be a great step in the right direction, but local weather conditions also play a role. I would guess that an accurate zone drop map would even have a range of dates at the zone level.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[FarmerDan]

I don't know anything specific about the question. Let me see if I can pull a rabbit out of my hat. With all things growing, what are the limits? Let's assume soil fertility is fixed and adequate. And, let's do the same for moisture. What's left are the number of days from the last spring frost to the first fall frost. Frost is a temperature factor. So, temperature will be a factor determining when flowering occurs, given one fruit and one variety. Then, I suppose temperature over the growing season might be a factor, too. That's measured in growing degree days. Having said all of that, I think you would need a couple pieces of info to roll your own chart.

Like the one here:
https://www.davewilson.com/sites/default/files/assets/fruit_nut_chart_hg_2018.pdf

Never mind it's for California. Look on the right side in the orange box for a brief explanation of how the chart was created, and how changes in latitude might affect the outcome.

 

[weekender21]

Most of us have known for a long time that the ripening / drop times of any given cultivar of apple, pear, etc. will vary based on where you live. For instance, I've noticed many times that the guys far north of me will have later drop times for apples like Liberty, etc. that many of us grow. However, I have never seen any kind of chart or other guide that estimates just how much this would vary from place to place.

For instance, the drop time chart at Blue Hills shows Ayers Pear dropping from about September 1 through September 30. All of mine have fallen by the middle of August. They show Yates Apple finishing in early December, but for me that will be early November.

All of this makes perfect sense, since it starts warming up earlier in the south. The only reason I bring it up is that if anyone has a chart or other information about this, I would like to see it. I also bring it up, because some people new to fruit growing may not have thought of this, and it could help them in choosing fruit cultivars.

Thanks in advance for any info you may have to share.

Have you noticed a difference in drop times from year to year on your place? I'm curious if a wet season or dry season would significantly alter the fruit or nut drop timing from one year to the next.

 

[sandbur]

Most of us have known for a long time that the ripening / drop times of any given cultivar of apple, pear, etc. will vary based on where you live. For instance, I've noticed many times that the guys far north of me will have later drop times for apples like Liberty, etc. that many of us grow. However, I have never seen any kind of chart or other guide that estimates just how much this would vary from place to place.

For instance, the drop time chart at Blue Hills shows Ayers Pear dropping from about September 1 through September 30. All of mine have fallen by the middle of August. They show Yates Apple finishing in early December, but for me that will be early November.

All of this makes perfect sense, since it starts warming up earlier in the south. The only reason I bring it up is that if anyone has a chart or other information about this, I would like to see it. I also bring it up, because some people new to fruit growing may not have thought of this, and it could help them in choosing fruit cultivars.

Thanks in advance for any info you may have to share.

Have you noticed a difference in drop times from year to year on your place? I'm curious if a wet season or dry season would significantly alter the fruit or nut drop timing from one year to the next.

I have noticed a difference on my place.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sandbur]

The crab apple timeline thread can give some evidence of drop times for my location. That is why I keep dates on my pictures.

I have been keeping some notes this fall on drop times and ripening times.

Perhaps I can put it together this winter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Native Hunter]

Have you noticed a difference in drop times from year to year on your place? I'm curious if a wet season or dry season would significantly alter the fruit or nut drop timing from one year to the next.

I've not noticed a major difference, but I've really not kept detailed notes and watched it close enough. Starting this year I will try to watch it closer.

 

[Native Hunter]

The crab apple timeline thread can give some evidence of drop times for my location. That is why I keep dates on my pictures.

I have been keeping some notes this fall on drop times and ripening times.

Perhaps I can put it together this winter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That would be interesting to see. Looking forward to it if you do it.

 

[Native Hunter]

I don't know anything specific about the question. Let me see if I can pull a rabbit out of my hat. With all things growing, what are the limits? Let's assume soil fertility is fixed and adequate. And, let's do the same for moisture. What's left are the number of days from the last spring frost to the first fall frost. Frost is a temperature factor. So, temperature will be a factor determining when flowering occurs, given one fruit and one variety. Then, I suppose temperature over the growing season might be a factor, too. That's measured in growing degree days. Having said all of that, I think you would need a couple pieces of info to roll your own chart.

Like the one here:
https://www.davewilson.com/sites/default/files/assets/fruit_nut_chart_hg_2018.pdf

Never mind it's for California. Look on the right side in the orange box for a brief explanation of how the chart was created, and how changes in latitude might affect the outcome.

Dan, thanks for sharing that chart.

What they say in that orange box goes right along with this discussion. They talk about times changing as much as 4 weeks, and I agree with that. In fact, I think from Florida to Wisconsin it would be more than 4 weeks. I think I'm possibly seeing 4 weeks between me and Blue Hill.

 

[Native Hunter]

Here is something for everyone to look at and discuss. Please note:

• This is for my area of central KY. I find it to be pretty accurate. How does it compare to your location?
• Look at what they say here about Western KY and Eastern KY compared to Central KY. Does that surprise you?

https://www.uky.edu/hort/sites/www.uky.edu.hort/files/documents/ripedate06_0.pdf