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For a premium quality apple harvest, the right time plays a key role. A look at the apple ripeness classes only reveals to a limited extent when the harvest time begins for Boskop & Co. A simple ripeness test, which confirms the ripeness of the apples for picking, is more revealing. For some of the most delicious cultivated apples, harvesting is just the first step on the way to being ready for consumption. This guide will make you familiar with all aspects of the perfect apple harvest in a practical and understandable way. Read here when and how to harvest apples correctly.
apple maturity classes
Ordering principle as a guide
Home gardeners enjoy the privilege of choosing from more than 1,500 apple varieties to choose for private cultivation. Self-caterers who are not satisfied with the sparse supply in the supermarket appreciate this advantage. In order to keep track of the huge range of varieties for home cultivation, it is helpful to take a look at the classification according to apple ripeness classes. It lists all apple varieties for the home garden according to ripeness for picking and consumption. This makes it easier to put together a varied planting plan and to determine the optimal harvest time for Boskop and Co. The following three categories ensure order within the multi-faceted diversity of varieties.
ripe apples on the tree
summer apples
Summer apples are the early starters among apple varieties. Before the start of the main harvest season in September, these apples have long been eaten. Under normal weather conditions, the harvest period extends from mid/late July to mid/late August. Characteristic of these apple varieties is a high level of refreshing acidity, which is very welcome in the midst of midsummer, both young and old. Since the majority of summer apples are sensitive to pressure and cannot be stored for long, it is primarily home gardeners who enjoy them. The following list introduces you to popular summer varieties.
White clear apple
- one of the earliest apple varieties from mid-July with a mildly sour taste and light yellow skin
Nicer from Barth
- a historic early variety from the end of July with a sour-spicy aroma and yellow-red skin
Summer King (Gravensteiner)
- later, red-yellow summer apple, ready for harvest from the end of August
Peach red summer apple
- the red-yellow premium variety for fresh consumption with a storage time of 2 weeks
jamba is one of the few summer apples that can be found on supermarket fruit shelves and at weekly markets from mid-August. Fruits that are ripe for harvest turn an appetizing red on the sunny side and can be stored until October, which is only a blink of an eye compared to winter apples such as Boskop.
Apple tree in the home garden
autumn apples
Autumn apples are the mainstay of the annual apple harvest in private and commercial cultivation alike. From mid-September you can harvest well-known classics whose names are familiar to everyone. Because they can be stored well, the following apple varieties have always been an important source of vitamins in autumn and winter.
Elstar
- one of the most popular apple varieties with juicy flesh and a storage period up to January
Gala
- an important apple variety for the home garden and commercial growers that stays fresh through December
Braeburn
- a vitamin C bomb that you can harvest and enjoy from mid-October or store until January
Jonagold
- ranks among the top 10 most commonly grown fall apples around the globe
For home gardeners with a soft spot for old apple varieties, the Classic "Holsteiner Cox" into focus. This autumn apple is a shining example of how ripe for picking is not always synonymous with ripeness for consumption. The harvest time extends from the end of September to the beginning of October. When you can eat the red-cheeked apples depends on the quality of storage and requires a few weeks of patience until November. The historical variety "Flamed Cardinal" don't keep you in suspense from the apple harvest to the refreshing pleasure. After the harvest in September, these apples will be on the table from October.
green apple fruit on apple tree
winter apples
Apple varieties are classified as winter apples with a harvest time from October to November and a two-month storage period until they are ready for consumption. What is also characteristic of the following sample varieties is a shelf life of up to 6 months.
Beautiful from Boskoop
- Boskop for short, the legendary yellow-skinned apple from Holland
Red boscope
- red-skinned counterpart to the Dutch Boskop from the Rhineland
Cox Orange
- the globally traded superstar among winter apples thanks to its excellent taste
Golden Delicious
- a mildly sweet winter apple that is very popular with children
The historic variety is one of the favorite varieties of home gardeners and self-sufficient "glory", which was once bred in the Altes Land, the center of German apple cultivation. The harvest window is from mid-October to the end of October. The fruits are ripe for consumption from November and can be eaten until February.
ripening apples on the branch
maturity test
Maturity test removes all doubts
Apples picked too early shrivel in no time and lose a great deal of their aroma and taste. Fruits picked too late are also not a treat for the palate, because mealy, mushy pulp and brown spots of rot spoil the enjoyment. The following simple ripeness test reveals when the best time to harvest the apples is.
- varietal coloring of the skin, mostly reddish on the sunny side
- The flesh yields slightly when pressed
- Cut open the sample apple: brown pits indicate ripeness for picking, light-colored pits require the apple harvest to be postponed
The tilt and rotate test allows you to pinpoint the start of harvest time without sacrificing a sample apple. Pick up the hanging fruit and rotate it 90 degrees. If the apple can be picked without a strong pull, it is ready for harvest.
harvest
Harvest apples correctly - this is how it works
Once the apples on the tree have passed the ripeness test, the harvest season can begin. Experience has taught us that pome fruit is sensitive to pressure in the morning hours. The afternoon and early evening are therefore recommended for an apple harvest of the best quality. Furthermore, you should only harvest dry fruits to prevent mold, fungus and rot. As a rule, not all apples on the tree are ripe at the same time. Therefore, pick the fruit you want to eat fresh today and the ripe ones you want to store.
red, ripe apples
How to harvest correctly:
- put a sturdy ladder to the apple tree for the fruit hanging high above
- wear an apple picking bag so that the picked specimens do not fall to the ground
- Alternatively, shake off the fruit with a hook and pick it up from the ground with a roller collector, which is easy on the back
Home gardeners who are not afraid of heights do not risk climbing acrobatics on the ladder, but use one Apple picker with telescopic handle for harvesting in the upper crown area. The practical tool has an adjustable handle, at the end of which there is a metal ring with sharp tines for cutting through the fruit stalk and a cloth bag for the falling apple.