Malus domestica ‘Belle de Boskoop’

Description

Quick Facts
– Botanical Name: Malus domestica ‘Belle de Boskoop’
– Common Name: Belle de Boskoop Apple
– Plant Type: Deciduous fruit tree
– Mature Height: Approx. 3-4m on a semi-dwarfing rootstock (varies with rootstock)
– Mature Spread: Approx. 3-4m
– Growth Rate: Vigorous
– Flowering Period: April to May
– Flower Colour: White blossom flushed with pink
– Foliage Colour: Mid-green, turning yellow in autumn
– Fruit: Large, flat-round apple with green-yellow skin, russet patches and an orange-red flush; firm, crisp, aromatic flesh
– Fruit Use: Cooking and eating (dual-purpose)
– Harvest Period: October; stores well into winter
– Pollination: Group C; a triploid, so it needs two other apple varieties nearby, and it will not pollinate them
– Hardiness: RHS H6 (fully hardy)
– Soil Requirements: Moist, well-drained, fertile soil
– Aspect: Full sun to partial shade
– Maintenance: Moderate: annual winter pruning

Description
‘Belle de Boskoop’ is a traditional Dutch apple, popular for generations because it does so much. The large, flat-round fruits have green-yellow skin with russet patches and a warm orange-red flush. The flesh is firm, crisp and aromatic.

Picked in October, the fruit is sharp and holds its shape when cooked, so it is excellent for pies, crumbles and sauces. Left to mellow in storage through winter, it becomes sweeter and can be eaten fresh.

In spring the tree is covered in white blossom with a pink flush. It is vigorous and hardy, copes well in cooler, damper sites, and is a reliable cropper once established.

Hardy, generous and versatile, ‘Belle de Boskoop’ is a dependable apple for baking and storing.

Caragh Garden Notebook

Planting:
Plant in autumn or early spring in moist, well-drained soil with well-rotted compost or manure worked in. Choose a sunny spot, sheltered from strong winds. Plant at the same depth as the pot, stake securely, firm in gently, water in well and mulch. Allow enough room for its vigorous, spreading growth.

Watering:
Water regularly through the first two growing seasons, especially in dry spells. Established trees benefit from a good soak during dry weather in summer while the fruit is swelling. Container trees need more frequent watering.

Feeding:
Apply a balanced fruit tree fertiliser in early spring. A mulch of well-rotted compost in autumn keeps the soil fertile. Avoid too much nitrogen, which gives leafy growth at the expense of fruit.

Seasonal Care & Tidy-Up:
Prune in winter while the tree is dormant. Remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, and keep the centre open so light and air reach the fruit. Thin heavy crops in early summer for larger fruit. Pick in October when the fruit comes away easily, and store in a cool, dark, frost-free place. The flavour sweetens and mellows over winter.

Pollination:
‘Belle de Boskoop’ is a triploid, so it cannot pollinate other trees and needs two other apple varieties flowering nearby to set a good crop. Choose companions from pollination groups B, C or D. Ask in store and we can suggest suitable partners.

Pests & Problems:
Generally manageable. Watch for apple scab, canker, codling moth and aphids. Good pruning, an open airy canopy and prompt removal of infected material keep most problems down. Its hardiness helps it cope with wet and cool conditions.

Design Notes:
A good choice for kitchen gardens, orchards and family gardens where you want an apple for both cooking and eating. The spring blossom is attractive, and the late-season fruit that stores well extends the harvest into winter. Underplant with spring bulbs, herbs or low perennials.

Propagation:
Fruit trees are grafted onto rootstock, so named varieties need nursery-grown stock to be true to type.