Seasonal produce
When are apples in season in the US?
Apples are picked from late summer into late fall, and the month depends on the variety and where you live. Here are harvest windows from Oregon, Minnesota and New York, so you can see how much the calendar moves. Warmer areas usually start earlier, so check with a local orchard or market.
Apple season at a glance
Oregon State Extension’s table for midseason Oregon climates runs from Gravenstein in mid-August to Granny Smith in late October. Gala comes in August to September; Honeycrisp, McIntosh and Golden Delicious in mid-September; Fuji, Empire, Jonagold and Red Delicious in September to October; and Braeburn, Pink Lady and Winesap in mid-October. In those Oregon climates, October is the middle of the run.
By variety
Early: Gravenstein (mid-August), then Gala and Zestar (August–September). Middle: Honeycrisp, McIntosh and Golden Delicious (mid-September). Late: Braeburn, Pink Lady and Winesap (mid-October), with Granny Smith last, in late October. Within a variety, ripeness depends on the year’s weather, so dates move a little each year.
By region
Warmer regions mature fruit earlier than colder ones, says Oregon State Extension. Within Oregon, early regions can start about 10 days before the midseason ones and late regions about 10 days after. In east-central Minnesota, University of Minnesota puts the Honeycrisp harvest at about September 15 to October 5. In New York, the New York Apple Association says Paula Red is available from late August into October. Elsewhere, local orchards set their own window, so ask at your market.
Stored apples vs. fresh-picked
Some varieties keep for months in cold storage. Oregon State Extension lists roughly 120 to 180 days at 30–32°F for Red Delicious and Rome Beauty, and the University of Minnesota says Honeycrisp keeps about seven months in common storage at 37°F. So an apple in the store in winter may have been picked the previous fall. If you want just-picked fruit, shop in the harvest window for your area.
How to pick and store at home
A good apple is firm, crisp and sweet. Oregon State Extension says apples picked too early are hard, tart and starchy, and ones picked too late are soft and mealy. To store them, keep them in the refrigerator, around 30–40°F, unwashed, because washing speeds decay. Cold storage works best, though Honeycrisp and McIntosh are prone to chilling injury, so Oregon State Extension recommends 38°F for those. Don’t store bruised apples, since one bad apple can spoil the rest. Apples also spoil faster above 45°F. Keep squash away from them, since their ethylene shortens squash storage life. For the full method, see how to store apples for winter.
What to cook this month
Bake the early-fall apple skillet cake while apples are at their best, or pair apples with Northwest pears, which USA Pears says are in season from late summer into winter. For storage-friendly fall produce, see our guide to storing winter squash.
Recipes and related guides
Early fall apple skillet cake · September produce guide · October produce guide · When are pears in season? · How to store winter squash · When are cranberries in season? · Produce checklist · How to store apples for winter.
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