Golden Delicious apple variety: cultivation & harvest

Where does the Golden Delicious ’apple variety come from? How do Golden Delicious apples taste? And how do you harvest and store them? We answer your questions about Golden Delicious apple trees.

The Golden DeliciousApple (Malus ‘Golden Delicious’) is a real classic among table apples and one of the most important Apple varieties worldwide. This is mainly due to the high yields of the apple trees and the unique sweetness of the apples. In Germany, it has now been replaced by other more disease-resistant, more aromatic and more diverse apple varieties in terms of taste. For hobby gardeners, however, it can still be interesting to grow the classic apple variety in their own garden. The ‘Golden Delicious’ is perfect for lovers of sweet fruit. We'll tell you what you need to consider when growing this apple variety and what else you need to know about ‘Golden Delicious’.

‘Golden Delicious’: Profile

Synonyms	'Gelber Delicious', 'Yellow Delicious', 'Golddelikatess'
fruit	medium to large in size; greenish yellow color
taste	juicy, sweet, light aniseed note
Yield	high and regular
Harvest time	Late September to October
Ripe for enjoyment	October to March
Shelf life	Well; storable until March
growth	medium strength; broad pyramidal
climate	high expectations; warm wine-growing climate
Diseases and pests	highly susceptible to scab, various viroses, fire blight; less susceptible to powdery mildew, fruit rot

Origin and history

This apple variety originally comes from West Virginia in the USA. From there it began its triumphal march around the world - since the 20th In the 19th century it was grown worldwide. At this point in time, the ‘Golden Delicious’ also reached Germany and was one of the most widely grown apples, especially in the former GDR. There it was called "Yellow Delicious". Thanks to its high yield and sweet aroma, this apple variety soon became a favorite of apple growers. Nowadays, the pure Golden Delicious ’has lost its importance. However, many popular strains are derived from it. These include, for example, the Elstar, Gala or Jonagold. In general, most of the modern apple cultivation varieties since 1930 come from the three "first parents" ‘Golden Delicious’, ‘Cox orange‘And‘ Jonathan ’.

Properties and taste of apples

Golden Delicious apple trees grow to be medium in size. The branches spread widely and can partially hang down. Another characteristic of these apple trees is that they are very productive.

The apples of the ‘Golden Delicious’ variety are medium to large in size. They are solid green-yellow. Only rarely do the fruits become red on the side facing the sun. The fruits are juicy when harvested early. If you harvest them later, they get a floury consistency. When fully ripe, Golden Delicious apples have a sweet taste with a slight hint of anise and a low proportion of acidity. Another positive feature of this apple variety is that the cut areas oxidize only a little, i.e. they turn brown.

What are the characteristics of Golden Delicious apples?

• Medium to large in size
• Green yellow
• Juicy
• Sweet and aromatic with very little acidity
• Interfaces oxidize only a little

Special features in cultivation

The popular apple grows best in full sun with moist and humus rich soil. If the soil is also calcareous and humus, there is almost nothing standing in the way of a high yield. However, the ‘Golden Delicious’ is only conditionally frost-tolerant. In rougher areas, such as northern Germany, it therefore needs a protected location in order to thrive. If the climatic conditions are suboptimal, the apples cannot fully ripen and then lose a lot of their aroma. Golden Delicious apple trees are only partially self-pollinating and therefore need pollinators. For example, the apple varieties ‘Gala’, ‘Elstar' or 'Rubinets‘.

What to look for when growing Golden Delicious ’respect, think highly of?

• As sunny as possible
• Moderately moist and humus rich soil
• Calcareous and nutrient-rich soil
• Sensitive to frost
• Only partially self-fertilizing

More about the Cultivation of apple trees you can find out in our special article.

Expert tip: The ‘Golden Delicious’ variety is wonderfully suited as a columnar apple. It also cuts a fine figure as a dwarf apple tree. With a height of around 120 centimeters, the variety can then even be cultivated in pots.

Harvest time and use of the ‘Golden Delicious’ variety

Golden Delicious apples are winter apples. Their harvest time is from the end of September to October. However, the apples have not yet reached their final consumption ripe when harvested. This only arises with storage. If the apples are stored in a dry, cool and dark place - for example in a single layer in boxes in the pantry or in the cellar - they can be eaten until March.

All over Harvesting and storage of apples can be read here.

The ‘Golden Delicious’ apples are best served as table apples and are enjoyed unprocessed. For delicious dishes with Golden Delicious apples, we recommend, for example, a colorful fruit salad, apples with a chocolate or caramel coating or yoghurt with fresh apples. It is rather unsuitable for cooking and baking because it disintegrates completely in the process. That in turn makes it attractive for cooking applesauce or baby food. The apple can also be used very well for apple juice, especially mixed with other, less sweet apple varieties. Another good use for the ‘Golden Delicious’ are fruit brandies.

‘Golden Delicious’harvest and use: overview

• Harvest time: late September to October
• Ripe for enjoyment: October to March
• Harvest time: when the skin turns from green to yellow
• Store in a dry, cool and dark place
• Use: table apple, applesauce, juice, fruit brandy

The apple ‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg ’is in no way inferior to the taste of‘ Golden Delicious ’- it is also sweet and mild. However, the strain is less prone to disease. More information on the ‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg‘Can be found in this article.