Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg: the apple variety in portrait
The apple variety ‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg ‘is an old German breed, which is also known under the names’ Privy Councilor Oldenburg’ and ‘Oldenburg’. We introduce you to the apple and explain everything you should know about cultivation, care and the like.
The ‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg ‘carries large, colorful apples [Photo: Sarawut Aiemsinsuk / Shutterstock.com]
‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg ‘is a naturally rich variety that needs a little care in order to fully develop the good taste of its fruits. Their demands on the climate are low, so that cooler locations are also well advised with this variety. The brightly colored autumn apple is harvested in September and should then be processed within the next two months.
‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg ‘: Profile
Table of Contents
| Synonyms | ‘Privy Councilor Oldenburg’, ‘Oldenburg’ |
| fruit | medium-sized; Greenish-yellow basic color with a light to dark red covering color |
| taste | juicy, mild, sweet and sour |
| Yield | high; not wavering; starting early |
| Harvest time | from September |
| Ripe for enjoyment | from November on |
| Shelf life | medium; storable until December |
| growth | initially strong, later medium strong |
| climate | medium demand; frost hardy, but not suitable for high altitudes; prefers warm and sheltered locations |
| Diseases and pests | not prone to common diseases and pests |
Origin and history of the apple variety ‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg ‘
The ‘Privy Councilor Dr. Unlike many apple varieties, Oldenburg ‘is the result of targeted breeding. At the fruit research facility in Geisenheim (Hesse), the parents ‘Minister von Hammerstein’ and ‘Baumanns Renette’ were crossed in 1897 in order to obtain a new, robust variety.
‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg ‘: taste and properties
The apples of the variety ‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg ‘are medium-sized and spherical, but some are also tall. The skin is firm but thin, so the fruit is sensitive to mechanical damage. The basic color of the shell is greenish-yellow, the outer color light to dark red and sometimes marbled, sometimes striped. The pulp is whitish-yellow, juicy and fine-celled with a sweet-sour, mild taste and a special, unmistakable aroma.
Tip: If a ‘privy councilor Dr. Oldenburg ‘too many fruits, they stay smaller and have a bland, bland taste. In the following you will learn how you can prevent too rich a curtain by thinning.
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Cultivation and care of the privy councilor Oldenburg apple
The ‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg ‘is a very strong variety when it is young, but only grows moderately later. The tree grows rather upright, but forms many branches, which significantly simplifies the upbringing. Because in this way, fruit branches that stand in an advantageous position are created again and again, new framework branches are formed and there is plenty of scope for good apple tree pruning. Depending on the base, it can be grown as a trellis or as a slender spindle, pyramid or even as a high trunk on an extensively managed orchard. The upbringing as a trellis or slender spindle requires a poorly growing base such as M9 or M26. Pyramid trees and high trunks can stand on seedling bases or even on their own roots. It is important to know that apple trees have to grow on their own roots for several years, often even over a decade, before they start to set many flowers and fruits.
The prime of ‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg ‘is early, so that the varieties’ Alkmene’, ‘Ananasrenette’, ‘Baumanns Renette’, ‘Goldparmäne’, ‘James Grieve’ and ‘Ontario’ are possible pollinators. Interestingly, the flower is reddish and smaller than many other varieties.
The ‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg ‘normally sets abundant fruit wood and is considered a “mass carrier”. Unfortunately, the fruit quality suffers greatly from the fact that too many fruits are set. For this reason it is important that the ‘privy councilor Dr. Oldenburg ‘to carry out a thinning. This means that some of the young fruits are removed before they ripen. If the young fruits are the size of a hazelnut, only one or a maximum of two fruits are left from each inflorescence, the rest is plucked off. The remaining fruits can then be well taken care of by the tree and ripen into large and tasty fruits.
At this stage it should be thinned out, otherwise the fruits will remain small and bland [Photo: agrofruti / Shutterstock.com]
Diseases and pests are for the ‘privy councilor Dr. Oldenburg ‘no problem: The most important pests – powdery mildew, apple scab and codling moth – rarely affect this robust variety.
Oldenburg apple: harvest & use
Sufficiently large and well-supplied apples of the ‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg ‘are tasty table apples that can be picked from September and stored until November or December. From November onwards it is a pleasure to enjoy the apples, because then they are really ripe. The firm meat of the variety is also good to use in the kitchen, for example for apple pie.
Did you know that apple trees are some of the best bee feeders? If you want to plant even more forage plants for insects in your garden, you will find it in our article on the most bee-friendly trees.
