Anyone who successfully grows the 'Ribston Pepping' in their garden can consider themselves lucky: the high demands of the variety are rewarded with a delicate taste. We describe the old variety and its correct cultivation.
The 'Ribston Pepping' is one of the gold reinettes. These apple varieties are known for their particularly flavorful and noble fruits. Synonyms from different countries are 'Ribston Pippin'/'Glory of York' (England), 'Pepin Ribston' (France), 'Pepin Ribstona' (Russia) and 'Granatrenette', 'Kaiserrenette' or 'Goldrabau' (Germany). They reflect the international popularity of these very old and valuable varieties. The taste is still described as "outstanding" by specialized pomologists in a comprehensive comparison of varieties. However, the variety places high demands on its location and requires regular care and a good supply of nutrients. This is the only way to keep her disease free and bear plenty.
Ribston Pepping: Profile
| Synonyms | 'Ribston Pippin', 'Glory of York', 'Pepin Ribston', 'Pepin Ribstona', 'Granatrenette', 'Kaiserrenette', 'Goldrabau' |
| Fruit | medium; golden yellow base color with crimson to dark red top color |
| Flavour | juicy, spicy, sweet wine |
| Yield | high and swaying; early onset; much pre-harvest fruit fall |
| Harvest time | from mid-October |
| Maturity for pleasure | from November |
| Shelf Life | very good; Can be stored until March/April |
| Growth | strong |
| Climate | mild climates with higher humidity; sunny; protected up to high altitudes can be cultivated |
| Diseases and Pests | susceptible to fruit tree canker, powdery mildew, blood aphid, specks in unfavorable locations |
Origin and history of the apple
The legend of the origin of the 'Ribston Pepping' is as follows: Around 1690 a man named Sir Henry Goodrick sent oneApple from the city of Rouen in Normandy to Castle Ribston near Karesborough, which is about 100 km from York in England. A seed from this apple was sown at Ribston Castle and produced an apple with superb taste: the 'Ribston Pepping'. Even then, the variety found many admirers throughout the region. Today the variety is widespread throughout Europe. Unfortunately, the mother tree fell victim to a storm in 1815, but only died 20 years later.
It is not known from which apple varieties the 'Ribston Pepping' descended.
Ribston Pepping apple: appearance, taste and properties
The fruits of the apple variety 'Ribston Pepping' are medium-sized, truncated round, stem-bellied, sometimes almost spherical in shape. The sides are even, weak edges can sometimes be seen on the side of the stem. The skin is medium-firm, smooth or velvety and dry, i.e. without shine. Their basic color is yellowish green when ripe for picking and golden yellow when fully ripe. The body color occupies a quarter to a half of the surface and is slightly crimson dotted, dark red washed out stripes and marbled. In addition, it is decorated with rust in the form of dots or with net-like light brown figures. There is often a "rusty cap" around the calyx, i.e. a flat russeting.
Inside the slightly spicy-scented 'Ribston Pepping' you will find yellowish-white, medium-fine flesh. It is firm at first, but slowly becomes mellow as it matures. The taste is juicy, spicy, sweet and winey and very harmonious. It is reminiscent of the 'Muscatrenette' or the popular 'Cox Orange'. In the nucleus there are often deaf, i.e. unfertilized nuclei.
Special features of cultivation and care
Is the noble, highly aromatic 'Ribston Pepping' something for your garden? The variety is considered extremely demanding and choosy among fruit growers. Not many soils offer it what it needs to thrive and fruit optimally. For he althy and sufficiently good growth, the soil should be moist, deep, nutrient-rich and loamy. The layer must be warm and allow sufficient air circulation. Heavy, clayey soils are unsuitable and can promote the development of fruit tree cancer. Dry, sandy soils also cause crop failures due to early fruit drop and stunted overall growth of the tree. Ideally, the location is humid, because this diva-like variety quickly loses its foliage in dry air. warmMaritime climate has proven to be very favourable.
If the conditions are good, the 'Ribston Pepping' grows vigorously both when young and when old. It sprouts early in the year, forms frost hardy wood and becomes a broad, large and later overhanging tree. This vigorous growth can produce massive tall stems on vigorous rootstocks such as M25 that cannot be intensively tended. On medium-growing rootstocks such as M7, training as a half-stem or bush tree is possible. Annual care in the form of winter pruning is absolutely necessary here. However, grafting on slower growing rootstocks such as M27 is also possible if a stable connection is used. Then the strong-growing 'Ribston Pepping' can be easily trained to trellis or shaped fruit. In addition to the all-winter training pruning and formation, a summer pruning may even be necessary, which takes the metaphorical wind out of the tree's sails even more.
The flowering of 'Ribston Pepping' appears mid-early and stays for a long time. Good pollinating varieties are the 'Goldparmäne' and the 'Berner Rosenapfel'. 'Ribston Pepping' is a triple (triploid) genetic variety. It can therefore be fertilized by the above varieties, but not fertilize them in return. If there is no suitable pollinator in the neighbor's garden either, a third variety should be purchased.
In unsuitable locations, 'Ribston Pepping' is easily attacked by diseases: powdery mildew and blood lice are common and specks as a result of calcium deficiency are also observed more often. Fruit tree canker can become a problem on soil that is too heavy.
Tip: If you have loamy soil but want to improve permeability and nutrient availability, you can work with mature compost and an organic complete fertilizer when planting. This way you can get the most out of the location for the 'Ribston Pepping'. Our Plantura organic universal soil improves your garden soil in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way, while our Plantura organic universal fertilizer can be used annually to supply nutrients.
Harvesting and Using Ribston Pepping Apple
The tasty 'Ribston Pepping' is finally ready to be harvested between mid and late October. Apples picked from the tree this early can last up to five months if stored at 0°C, i.e. until March or April. However, the variety is really only ready to be enjoyed fromNovember, when their full aroma has unfolded.
The firm shell means that the 'Ribston Pepping' can be stored well and even shipped without any problems.
It serves best as a table fruit, but can also be used to make aromatic juices, ciders and purées.
As already mentioned, 'Goldparmäne' is a pollinator variety for 'Ribston Pepping'. You can find out what you should consider when growing and caring for the pollinator in our special article.