'Krügers Dickstiel', also known as 'Celler Dickstiel', is the name of a popular German apple variety that is characterized by its good aroma. We present the winter apple and the special features of cultivation and care.
Hardly any other variety is known by as many synonyms as 'Krüger's Dickstiel': Whether as 'Celler Dickstiel', 'color box' or simply as 'Dickstiel' - the old apple variety has a different name in almost every region of northern Germany . The variety of names can also be attributed to the popularity of the 'Krügers Dickstiel' apple variety, which is still appreciated by many enthusiasts today.
‘Krügers Dickstiel’: profile
| Synonyms | 'Celler Dickstiel', 'Colour Box', 'Dickstiel' |
| Fruit | medium; green-yellow to silver-grey basic color with orange and red marbling (sunny side) and yellow spots (shady side) |
| Flavour | slightly sour, spicy-floral aroma |
| Yield | high and regular |
| Harvest time | early to mid-October |
| Maturity for pleasure | from December |
| Shelf Life | very good; can be stored until the end of February |
| Growth | medium to strong |
| Climate | undemanding; Insider tip for locations endangered by late frost |
| Diseases and Pests | increased susceptibility to powdery mildew in warm areas |
History and Origin
The origin of the 'Krügers Dickstiel' apple variety has not been fully clarified. It is known that the variety originated in northern Germany around 1850. Most likely, the variety was first grown in Mecklenburg or in the Celle region. The latter would also provide an explanation for the synonym 'Celler Dickstiel'. After the discovery, the variety quickly spread in northern Germany, but by the 20th century at the latest, the popularity of the variety had grown throughout Germany. Conventionally, 'Krügers Dickstiel' is hardly grown today. That's why he countsstill one of the most popular apple trees for the garden and is highly valued by many hobby gardeners.
Characteristics and taste of the Celler thickstalk apple
The 'Krügers Dickstiel' apples are medium-sized and evenly round in shape. Above all, their special coloring is characteristic: the green-yellow to silver-grey basic color has orange and red marbling on the sunny side, yellow spots are often found on the shady side. In addition, the shell is lightly rusted over the entire surface. This unique play of colors also earned the apple the name 'color box'. The flesh inside is firm and white. However, the 'Celler Dickstiel' only becomes a favorite of many apple lovers because of its special aroma: The slightly sour apple impresses with a spicy-flowery fruit aroma, which is why it is often counted among the apple varieties with the best taste.
Tips for growing and caring for 'Krueger's Dickstalk'
With its undemanding nature, 'Krüger's Dickstiel' is ideal for growing in the garden. It is considered to be extremely robust and resistant, especially on lighter soils. 'Krüger's Dickstiel' hardly likes to grow only on soils that are particularly rich in clay. You should therefore always pay attention to a light substrate. The 'Celler Dickstiel' is a real insider tip, especially in locations where there is a risk of late frost.
Due to its very late flowering, it also promises a safe and constant harvest over many years. However, its late flowering also poses a challenge for gardeners: 'Krügers Dickstiel' is one of the poorer pollinators, because it flowers too late for many other apple varieties. At the same time, 'Krügers Dickstiel' also bears fruit poorly if there is no suitable pollinator, such as 'Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg', growing nearby.
Even if the 'Celler Dickstiel' grows quickly after planting, the tree as a whole shows slow but steady growth. With its wide, pyramid-shaped crown, which becomes denser with age, the 'Celler Dickstiel' is also visually very attractive. Depending on the rootstock, 'Krügers Dickstiel' shows moderate to good growth. With weak-growing rootstocks, the variety is easy to train and shows a nice upright growth. Pruning 'Krügers Dickstiel' is a little more complicated if the rootstock is strong, because it is very vigorous.
Overall, 'Krügers Dickstiel' is considered to be particularly robust. This is also related to its lowSusceptibility to diseases together: The 'Celler Dickstiel' variety is generally not very susceptible to both scab and pit. 'Krüger's Dickstiel' only shows a certain susceptibility to powdery mildew. He tends to be more susceptible to powdery mildew, especially in warm areas, which is why he should be checked more often for the first signs of the disease.
Harvest and use the 'Krügers Dickstiel' apple variety
The 'Krügers Dickstiel' apples are ready to pick from the beginning to mid-October, and from December they are ready to eat. Due to their fine, spicy aroma, the fruits are primarily considered a particularly delicate table apple. Its long shelf life makes the 'Krügers Dickstiel' apple variety particularly valuable - if you store the apple correctly, it will keep until the end of February without any problems. To ensure that 'Krügers Dickstiel' does not wilt during storage, special emphasis should be placed on high humidity and low temperatures during storage. In addition to its use as a dessert apple, 'Krügers Dickstiel' is also versatile in the kitchen and is particularly popular for baking because of its firm flesh.
The 'Celler Dickstiel' as a tasty and he althy variety is an asset for the garden, but much too valuable to process! The high-yielding 'Maunzenapfel' is better suited for this, which is a perfect apple for further processing with an overabundant yield.