When buying cultivated apples, not only the taste is of particular importance. Since apples belong to the rose family, they are affected by diseases such as powdery mildew, scab and fire blight. Therefore, choose varieties that are resistant.
If you want to harvest early, you should grow summer apples
summer apples
These strains develop fruit for immediate consumption. The apples are ready for harvest between July and September. 'Gerlinde' is a descendant of the 'Elstar' variety, which develops a sparse growth habit. Its fruits develop a crunchy consistency with a sweet aroma and fine acidity. The variety provides regular yields, but has a medium susceptibility to powdery mildew.
Varieties with early fruit ripening:
- 'Retina': yellow apples with a short shelf life and sweet and sour aroma, resistant to scab
- 'White Klarapfel': sour-tasting fruits with reddish flesh and green-white skin
- 'Bolero': particularly fruity apples with a smooth skin
autumn apples
Just like the summer apples, the fruits of these cultivars are not suitable for storage. Between September and October you can harvest the apples and enjoy them immediately. The 'Santana' variety from Holland, which develops fruits with a sweet and sour aroma, is particularly allergy-friendly. If you don't harvest the fruit too late, it will keep longer.
Tasty autumn apple varieties:
- 'Red Aloisius': typical Bavarian apple with firm flesh and intense aroma
- 'Rebella': extremely reliable variety with hard-shelled fruits; resistant to scab, mildew and fire blight
- 'Rubinola': sparsely branched tree with finely aromatic apples
winter apples
These varieties bear long-lasting fruit that you can store until spring. They are harvested from October to November. The fruits require a storage period of at least two months. During this time they break down their fruit acids so that an aromatic and mild taste develops. With proper storage, you can enjoy the fruit until February. 'Topaz' is a true gem with a juicy, sweet aroma that is pervaded by a fine acidity. This variety is considered resistant to scab, but can occasionally be attacked by powdery mildew.
Varieties resistant to scab:
- 'Resista': crunchy apples with an excellent taste
- 'Red Topaz': Breeding of the 'Topaz' variety with better taste and red fruit colour
- 'Solaris': long shelf life until May