Honeycrisp Stem Clipping

One of the more challenging aspects of growing newer cultivars is maintaining an open file on improved techniques for growing and handling. It takes years to really learn all the in and outs regarding the best ways to grow and finish a crop of any cultivar. ‘Honeycrisp’ has a huge market potential and payback from a well-grown crop. Stem punctures in the bin and onto the retail shelf can reduce the % of marketable crop considerably.

Not all apple varieties can be nor should be handled in the exact same way at harvest. Obviously some varieties show or develop defects easier. Some cultivars need a lot of extra care in handling or pre-storage preparations. The potential retail value of some varieties like ‘Honeycrisp’ may enable growers to take extra care or precautions while picking. More expense is not what the average grower wants to hear about. However, in the end, it’s the net gain in potential return on investment that determines the success or failure of any activity.

Stem clipping is something that we don’t normally do here in Ontario but it may have a place with a cultivar like ‘Honeycrisp’ if there is a high probability of losses from stem punctures once the fruit comes off the tree. It is interesting to note how different the stems of apples can be from one cultivar to the next. Some stems are short and stubby, others are long and flexible, and some are stiff and long enough to protrude out of the stem cavity and beyond the radius of the apple. ‘Fuji’ is an example of a variety that has historically been stem clipped in production areas outside of Canada. Figure 1 shows the stem clipping of ‘Honeycrisp’ as the fruit is picked. This activity should eliminate stem punctures and the associated cullage for this high value cultivar if it becomes problematic.

Figure 1. Stem clipping of Honeycrisp during harvest.