Belle de Boskoop Apple - Malus domestica - Gold Reinette Apple Tree

The Belle de Boskoop apple tree is a variety with good vigour and productivity. It produces large, round, irregular fruits that are light green to yellow with red spots. Their flesh is granular, semi-crisp, juicy, and tart. Harvest takes place in late October and November. They can be stored until March. The Belle de Boskoop apple tree is not self-fertile. It is resistant to canker, scab, and cold.

The apple tree is native to Europe, where its presence has been documented since antiquity. The Belle de Boskoop apple tree is a variety discovered in the Netherlands by J.K.W. Ottolander in 1856, in Boskoop. The Belle de Boskoop apple tree has a semi-spreading habit, giving it a tall trunk and a spreading appearance, naturally allowing for air circulation and providing some resistance to fungal diseases. It is quite productive, so thinning is necessary to avoid small fruit size and the onset of diseases. Its foliage consists of very large, ovate, slightly hairy leaves that are dark greenish-brown on top and whitish-green underneath, with deeply toothed edges. Its flowering, spectacular, lasts for 20 days in April. It is composed of large white flowers. The flowering is not susceptible to frost, so the apple tree is suitable for cultivation in mountainous regions. Being self-sterile, the presence of apple trees with overlapping flowering times is necessary. The varieties 'Golden', 'Starking Delicious', 'Reine des Reinettes', and 'Idared' are suitable. Fruiting is late, starting in late October and extending into November. The large, round fruits are irregular in shape and light green to yellow with red spots. Their flesh is granular, semi-crisp, juicy, and tart. These apples are particularly suitable for both eating fresh and cooking. They can, of course, be used in pastries, compotes, jams, and savoury dishes, including in combination with cheeses.

Choose a sunny location for your Belle de Boskoop Apple Tree. The soil can be slightly chalky or acidic, but not excessively so. Dig a wide planting hole at least 3 times the size of the root ball. Simultaneously add organic matter (topsoil, compost) and a base fertiliser such as crushed horn. Do not bury the graft point. Stake if necessary. Water abundantly, even in winter, and even if it is raining. Fruit trees are ideally planted between October and March, outside of the freezing period. Container-grown plants can be planted throughout the year, except during periods of high heat or frost. During winter, you can add a small handful of wood ash, which is rich in potash, to improve fruiting. Watch out for possible aphid attacks during the season. Powdery mildew, a white fungal growth, may appear on the leaves in summer, but it does not harm fruit development in gardens. Harvest takes place in September. Only keep the picked fruits. Apples should be stored with the stem downwards, on shelves or in crates. Preferably choose a completely dark, dry and cool location, but frost-free.