Apple variety Elstar: taste, location & harvest

What is the taste of Elstar apples and what is the ideal location for the apple variety? We answer your questions about Elstar apple trees.

Germany is apple country: the average German eats 25 kilograms of apples a year. The apple variety 'Elstar' is one of the most popular apples and has been for many decades. If you also love the taste of the Elstar apple and maybe even want to grow it yourself, you will find everything you need to know about the taste, the harvest time and the growing conditions here.

Apple variety 'Elstar': Profile

fruit	medium-sized; golden yellow with bright red marbling
the taste	aromatic, sweet
yield	heavily fluctuating
harvest time	from mid-September
maturity	from the end of September
shelf life	Good; can be stored until January
growth	very strong
climate	protected; not suitable for high altitudes
diseases and pests	susceptible to fruit tree canker, apple scab, powdery mildew, spider mites, fire blight

Where does the apple variety 'Elstar' come from?

The apple variety 'Elstar' comes from a breeding program at the Institute for Horticultural Plant Breeding (Plant Research International B.V.) at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. By crossing the varieties'Golden Delicious' and 'Ingrid Marie' was born in 1955, the 'Elstar' that is so popular today. However, it was not until 1975 that the variety was introduced to the market.

expert info: Occasionally it happens that the genome of a tree mutates, usually only on a twig or part of a branch. Such mutations are sometimes further propagated and also used in fruit growing. Mutants of the 'Elstar' variety are, for example, 'Elstar Reinhardt', 'Red Elstar', 'Goedhof' or the wonderful bright red 'Bel-El'.

What is the taste of Elstar apples?

Like all apple varieties, the 'Elstar' was subjected to a sensory fruit assessment, i.e. a professional taste test. Accordingly, the apple variety 'Elstar' has a medium-firm, cream-colored to yellowish flesh that is moderately juicy but tastes sweet and strongly aromatic. The acidity is balanced, neither too sour nor too bland.

Plant an 'Elstar' apple tree

Do you love the fresh, sweet taste of the Elstar apple so much that you want to have your own Elstar apple tree in the garden? We explain to you what is important when planting.

What do you have to consider when growing the ‘Elstar’ variety?

When growing Elstar apples, you should keep one thing in mind: the variety is extremely difficult to grow and is actually not recommended for the home garden. The strain can be called a real diva for the following reasons:

• 'Elstar' is a very vigorous variety, which means a lot of cutting work. If the tree is not pruned regularly, the health of the tree and the quality of the fruit suffer.
• ‘Elstar’ is susceptible to many important apple diseases: fruit tree cancer, apple scab, powdery mildew, spider mites and fire blight.
• The yield of 'Elstar' varies greatly. If the tree is not pruned, fertilized and watered correctly, it mercilessly acknowledges this: Years without a single apple are followed by years with far too many crops and far too small apples.

But the 'Elstar' does not only have bad qualities: Due to its rather late start of flowering, it is less susceptible to frost. It can also be stored well and regenerates cuts or frost damage to the wood very well. And of course, the strain's outstanding taste isn't a bad reason to put a little more effort into growing it.

What is the ideal location for an Elstar apple tree?

The ideal location for an Elstar apple is sheltered to prevent frost damage in winter. At the same time, however, it should not be completely windless, since windless conditions make it easy for pests and diseases. However, the most important thing for the Elstar apple tree is sufficient sunlight: a place in full sun ensures higher yields and a healthy tree.

As far as the soil is concerned, the location requirements of the 'Elstar' variety are of course dependent on the rootstock on which they are planted refined became. So before you buy an apple tree, you should find out about its rootstock. The table below shows you the location requirements of various apple rootstocks.

document	examples	location claims	growth of the tree
Weak growth	M9, M27, M26	Very high. Nutrient-rich, loamy-sandy soil with a high humus content. Waterlogging and drought are not tolerated.	Tree stays smaller and grows weaker
Medium growth	M7, M4, MM106	High. Nutritious, good quality soil with a high humus content. Waterlogging and drought are tolerated a little better.	Tree grows to medium size
Strong growth	M11, A2, seedling rootstock	Low to medium. Poorer soils as well as drought and moisture are also tolerated.	Tree grows taller and wider

If you have the necessary space in your home garden, we recommend a medium-strong rootstock. Your 'Elstar' will get a little bigger on this and you will need a ladder to cut it, the However, the tree is much less sensitive and is better suited to a location that is not quite as ideal away.

How do you plant an Elstar apple tree?

We have prepared a special article for you, which contains everything on the subject of "Plant apple tree" explained. But so that you don't have to search long, here are the important key data in brief:

• It is best to plant the Elstar apple tree in autumn.
• The planting hole should be at least 1.5 times as wide and deep as the root ball.
• Mix two-thirds of the spoil with mature compost or a good quality potting soil and organic fertilizer like ours Plantura organic tomato fertilizer.
• Carry out a root cut: For bare-rooted plants, only the tips are cut, for potted plants the bale is pulled apart in some places with the hands or a spade so that the fine roots tear. Root cutting is not required for baled goods.
• If necessary, run one Plant pruning on the apple tree through.
• Place the tree in the planting hole. The grafting point should be 15 to 20 cm above the ground. Of course, the roots must not be exposed.
• Fill the planting hole with the soil mixture and then tread on the soil with your full body weight.
• Model a pouring edge with the remaining excavation. Pour generously and top up any sagging soil.
• Water the sapling regularly in the first year so that it can develop well.

Tip: An Elstar apple tree on a slow-growing base develops only weak roots. He therefore needs a solid post as a support and a stable connection for the rest of his life. Both must be checked annually and renewed if necessary.

When is the harvest time for Elstar apples?

If you want to store the Elstar apples for a long time, you should pick them earlier. From about mid-September the picking maturity is reached. The apples then slowly ripen during storage. If you don't want to store the fruit but want to use it very soon, don't harvest it until the end of September. Then the apples are ready to eat, so perfectly sweet and delicious. Of course, you can also pick and store a part early and pick the rest off the tree later and enjoy it straight away. We have a special article for you harvesting apples prepared to help you with the harvest.

Tip: The 'Elstar' has a special feature: it does not shed dead or ripe fruit on its own. That's good if you don't like fallen fruit on the lawn. Unfortunately, diseased and rotten fruits remain in the tree and infect the other fruits as well. In so-called fruit mummies, fruit rot can even hibernate in this way and infect young fruit again in spring. Therefore, check the tree regularly for diseased fruit and also completely harvest rotten fruit.

How to store and process Elstar apples?

'Elstar' can be stored very well when cooled. If the temperatures stay below 4 °C, storage until January is no problem. The prerequisite for this is that the fruit was harvested early, i.e. not fully ripe. Unfortunately, Elstar apples are prone to rot and wilt during storage and require consistent humidity that is not too high or too low. See our special article for more details on the right one storage of apples.

Apples of the 'Elstar' variety are perfect for fresh consumption. But the sweet and sour taste is also perfect for cakes and apple strudel. Of course, you can also boil it down with applesauce, but the apple is actually too good for this.

Is the Elstar apple tree too demanding for you? Then the apple variety'gold parmesan' Something for you: It not only impresses with its taste, but is also better suited for the home garden.