Extension Apple Specialist Sees Light But Early Harvest

Contact: Renae Moran, (207) 933-2100, Ext. 105

MONMOUTH – University of Maine Cooperative Extension educator and fruit tree specialist Renae Moran says many Maine apple orchards are seeing light but early harvests this year.

“I’m starting to see it with the early varieties and I think it’s going to happen with Macintosh,” says Moran, a plant soil, pomology and environmental sciences specialist. “Spring was three weeks early and a lot of orchards have a light crop because of the freeze” in late spring.

Some apple harvesting already is underway, a week or more early.

Moran is available at (207) 933-2100, extension 105, to discuss reasons and further details about the 2010 apple crop.