Pokémon Go Harvest Festival Applin Picking research tasks and best Applin evolution

'Harvest Festival Applin Picking Timed Research' rewards and quest steps

'Harvest Festival: Applin Picking Timed Research' is the branching research quest available until Monday 5th October at 8pm (local time).

This is a quest you'll want to complete too as its rewards are incredibly useful when it comes to getting one of the Applin evolutions. Depending on the path you select you'll be rewarded with either Sweet, Syrupy or Tart Apples - all three are crucial to evolving Applin. I've taken an in-depth look into the best choose path choice for this quest further along in the guide, but, for now, the important thing to remember is that you can not change your path after making said choice.

For now, let's take a look at the quest's first step:

The Harvest Festival: Applin Picking event is currently running. Want to know what's happening this month? Then take a look at the September schedule or the October schedule if you're already looking ahead. Don't forget to keep an eye out for both the rarest Pokémon and the best Pokémon in your travels.

'Appletun' path for 'Harvest Festival Applin Picking Timed Research'

'Appletun' is the path which will lead you to being rewarded with Sweet Apples from 'Harvest Festival: Applin Picking'. Remember: you can not change your path choice after it's made.

'Dipplin' path for 'Harvest Festival Applin Picking Timed Research'

If you're after Syrupy Apples, then you'll need to choose the 'Dipplin' path for 'Harvest Festival: Applin Picking'. Don't forget, your path choice can not be changed after it's made.

'Flapple' path for 'Harvest Festival Applin Picking Timed Research'

If you've got more of a taste for Tart Apples, then the 'Flapple' path is the one for you during 'Harvest Festival: Applin Picking'. For the final time, your path choice can not be changed after it's been made.

Best Applin evolution: Flapple, Appletun or Dipplin

The best choose path choice for 'Harvest Festival: Applin Picking' is Dipplin as it rewards you with Syrupy Apples.

While neither Applin or its evolutions do well in the Pokémon Go meta, it's Hydrapple who ranks the best. It comes roughly in the top fifty for Dragon-types and sits a bit lower in the Grass-type meta. (With the others not breaking the top 100. Oh dear…) So, if you want to use this quest to get a strong Pokémon, Hydrapple is the way to go and you'll need Syrupy Apples to get it. Well, to get Dipplin. You'll need to complete the Hydrapple evolution requirement to actually get Hydrapple. (Thankfully, it does not involve any more apples.)

Since Hydrapple really isn't that great though, it's a good idea to use this quest to get the apples you need for any Applin evolution missing from your Pokédex. If you're missing Appletun then go with Sweet Apples, for Flapple choose Tart Apples and for Dipplin you'll need Syrupy Apples.

Harvest Festival research tasks

Below you'll find the Harvest Festival: Applin Picking research tasks:

Harvest Festival bonuses

• Shiny Applin, shiny Flapple, shiny Appleton, shiny Dipplin and shiny Hydrapple debut in Pokémon Go!
• Increased chance of encountering shiny Smoliv.
• Mossy Lure Modules will only attract apples. Alongside this, tapping on them will award Tart Apples, Sweet Apples, Syrupy Apples and Pokémon encounters, including Flower Crown Cottonee and Applin.
• The Go Pass Major Milestones if you unlock them.

Harvest Festival wild Pokémon spawns

Here's the Pokémon spawning more frequently in the wild during the Harvest Festival: Applin Picking event:

• Snorlax
• Shroomish
• Foongus
• Skwovet
• Applin
• Lechonk
• Smoliv

Harvest Festival Taken Over explained

The Harvest Festival: Taken Over mini-event will begin on Friday 2nd October at 12am (local time) and run until Monday 5th October at 8pm (local time).

New Shadow Pokémon

The Harvest Festival: Taken Over event marks the release of seven new Shadow Pokémon:

• Shadow Zekrom
• Shadow Wimpod
• Shadow Golisopod (Evolve Shadow Wimpod)
• Shadow Fomantis
• Shadow Lurantis (Evolve Shadow Fomantis)
• Shadow Sandygast
• Shadow Palossand (Evolve Shadow Sandygast)

Remember: you need a Super Rocket Radar to fight Giovanni and have a chance of catching Shadow Zekrom. If you don't have one of these radars to hand, then you can earn one by progressing through Go Pass: Harvest Festival.

Harvest Festival Taken Over bonuses

• Shiny Shroodle and shiny Grafaiai debut in Pokémon Go!
• Increased chance of encountering shiny Slugma.
• Team Go Rocket will be invading more PokéStops.
• The Rocket Balloon will be appearing more frequently.
• Charged TMs can be used to make Shadow Pokémon forget the Frustration, Charged Attack.
• Pokémon caught from one and three-star Shadow Raids will have a wider variance of Attack, Defense and HP stats.
• Additional event-exclusive field research tasks, rewarding Fast TMs, Charged TMs and Mysterious Components.
• Changes to the team lineups for the Team Rocket Grunts and Leaders.

Harvest Festival Taken Over wild Pokémon encounters

These Pokémon are appearing more frequently in the wild during the Taken Over portion of this year's Harvest Festival event:

• Koffing
• Magmar
• Slugma
• Numel

Go Pass Harvest Festival

• Go Pass is available between Tuesday 29th September to Monday 5th October at 8pm (local time).
• You must claim your rewards before Wednesday 7th October at 8pm (local time).
• Everyone receives the Free Track.
• Upgrading to the Deluxe Track costs £4.99 / $4.99 or the equivalent pricing tier in your local currency.
• Upgrading to the Deluxe Track with six Ranks pre-completed costs £6.99 / $6.99 or the equivalent pricing tier in your local currency.
• This purchase is non-refundable and can not be done using PokéCoins.
• Free track rewards include Major Milestones, Tart Apples, Sweet Apples, Syrupy Apples, a Mossy Lure Module, Super Rocket Radar, event-themed Pokémon encounters and more.
• Deluxe track rewards include even more apples, extra Mossy Lure Modules, a Super Rocket Radar, more Pokémon encounters and more.

Hope you enjoy the 2026 Harvest Festival event!