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Shtreifling apples are an old, but still very popular, autumn variety, which is native to the Baltics. High yield, attractive external description and excellent taste of fruits contribute to the fact that apple trees of this variety have been actively grown for many years in all CIS countries, including Our Country. The variety was bred so long ago that there is no exact data on its origin. In different countries, these apples are known as Shtrifel, Livonian Grafenstein, Starostino, or Autumn Striped, which most accurately reflects the name of the variety, because Shtreifling is translated from German as “Autumn Striped”.
Description and characteristics
The apple tree of the Shtreifling variety is a large, tall (about 8 m) tree with a dense and spreading crown, expanded upwards. The density of the tree is due to multiple shoots and small twigs, on which the leaves are very densely arranged. The main branches depart from the trunk at a right angle, due to which the crown seems very wide and slightly drooping. The bark of large branches is smooth, brown in color, young shoots are several shades lighter. The buds are gray in color, the blossoming leaves are green above and gray below, strongly pubescent. The leaf plate is slightly wrinkled, along the edge with small notches.
The apple tree blooms with large white cup-shaped flowers. The petals are concave, overlapping, rounded, in the bud stage have a light pinkish color. The fruiting of the apple tree is mixed: most of the ovary is formed on 3-4-year-old annelids, the rest of the fruits are on long twigs of 2 years of age.
The apple tree begins to bear fruit quite late – at 7-8 years of age, however, single fruits can also appear on 5-year-old trees. In the first years of fruiting, the yield is insignificant, but with each subsequent year the amount of the crop increases.
According to the ripening period, the variety is considered late. The fruits have a very colorful description. They are quite large (170-200 g), even, truncated-conical shape, ribbed at the base. The peel is smooth, glossy, with a slight wax coating. The color of the peel is different: some fruits are yellow-green, with a pronounced striped blush, others are more intensely colored – the yellow-orange main tone smoothly turns brown or red from the sunny side. Numerous subcutaneous points of a light color are visible under the peel.
In general, the variety is read as high-yielding – an adult apple tree aged 25-30 years old, with proper care, can produce up to 300 kg of apples per season. You can increase the productivity of an apple tree with the help of mineral and organic fertilizers, timely pruning and watering. Since the variety was bred in a different, more humid, climatic zone, it is characterized by low drought resistance. Immunity to diseases is quite high. Trees of this variety are less affected by scab than others, but in rainy summers the likelihood of developing the disease is not excluded.
The apple tree tolerates low temperatures well. Even in severe winters, trees rarely freeze, and if this happens, they quickly recover and resume fruiting. In the conditions of the middle lane, the tree normally tolerates winter without shelter, however, in the northern regions, it is better to cover the near-stem circles with organic matter for the winter.
Video “Variety Description”
From the video you will learn what these apples are.
Taste qualities of fruits
Shtreifling apples have a harmonious sour-sweet taste, which is due to the ideal ratio of sugars, aromatics, pectins and acids. There is a slight spicy note in the aftertaste, but sweetness still prevails, since the sugar content in the fruit is more than 10%. The pulp of apples is cream or light yellow in color, slightly loose in structure, fine-grained, very juicy, with a characteristic apple aroma.
The tasting score of apples is quite high – 4,5 on a five-point system. The pulp of the fruit contains a lot of vitamin C, organic acids, fiber. The chemical composition of apples is also varied and includes potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, zinc, and a lot of iron. Despite the sweet taste, the calorie content of apples is no more than 50 kcal, which allows them to be used in dietary nutrition and as a basis for making desserts and pastries.
Planting and care
Apple tree seedlings can be planted in spring and autumn. In autumn, planting should be done about a month before the onset of night frosts. Trees need light loamy soils to grow well. If clay predominates in the soil, then river sand must be added to it. It is desirable to add peat to sandy soil. 
The planting hole should be about 80 cm in diameter and 60-70 cm deep. Planting holes are dug a couple of weeks before planting. Fertilizers are placed at the bottom of the pit (compost or humus 0,5 buckets), a layer of earth is poured on top so that the young roots do not come into contact with the fertilizer.
The yield of an apple tree depends on proper care. The variety is very susceptible to watering and top dressing. The lack of moisture negatively affects the number and size of fruits, in addition, from drought, an apple tree can prematurely shed its leaves, so trees, even adults, need to be watered regularly.
About a month before the onset of frost, watering should be stopped – this will help the apple tree prepare for wintering.
Trees are fed 3-4 times during the season: the first time before flowering (urea 0,5 cups / 10 l of water), the second – in mid-June (liquid manure in a ratio of 1:10 or litter in a ratio of 1:15), the third – during fruit ripening (potassium-phosphorus mixtures). The last time fertilizers are applied in the fall (superphosphate 20-50 g, depending on the size of the tree). In the middle of summer, green manure (mustard, peas, lupins) can be dug into the trunk circles. By autumn, they will rot, and the soil will be fertilized with high-quality organic matter. The same plants can be planted in the aisles of apple trees, and then use the tops as fertilizer.
Since the variety is characterized by a spreading voluminous crown, trees are recommended to perform formative pruning. Spring pruning of the tops of the branches stimulates the formation of side shoots, thereby increasing the number of ovaries. In autumn, all damaged, diseased, as well as old branches that no longer bear fruit should be removed. In addition, the removal of old shoots allows you to rejuvenate the tree, and thereby extend its lifespan. It should also be remembered that an apple tree of this variety needs to be pollinated by another variety, so next to it it is better to plant apple trees of such varieties as “Papirovka”, “Antonovka” or “Slavyanka”.
Harvest
Apples are removed from the tree in early September, but in order to achieve a harmonious dessert taste, it is recommended to hold them for a couple of weeks in a cool, dark place. The variety is not prone to falling off. Fruits can hang on the branches for a long time and firmly, but this reduces their shelf life. After picking apples, it is recommended to lay them in layers in well-ventilated boxes and store them in a cool place (basement, cellar).
Without loss of density and taste, apples are stored for up to 3 months, and then the withering process begins. The Shtreifling variety is considered a table variety, but in addition to fresh consumption, the fruits are great for making jams, juices, marmalades and other preparations.
Fighting diseases and pests
Diseases and harmful insects not only cause significant damage to the crop, but can also lead to the death of the plant, so preventive treatment for the apple tree is very important. From pests, the tree is treated in the spring: the first time before bud break (in April), and the second time after flowering (in mid-May). For spraying branches, it is recommended to use the following insecticides: copper oxychloride or copper sulfate (40 g / 10 l of water), Bordeaux liquid. These are complex preparations that protect not only from pests, but also from fungal diseases that the apple tree is most often exposed to: scab, fruit rot, powdery mildew and others. 
There are many pests in the apple tree of this variety, but their distribution depends on the region of growth. Some insects eat the leaves, others damage the fruits, because of which they quickly deteriorate and lose their presentation. The most dangerous fruit pests are the apple sawfly and the codling moth. These caterpillars penetrate into the middle of the apple, eat the pulp, make moves in it, which is why ripe apples become unusable, and unripe ones fall off completely. To destroy these insects, insecticides are used (Karbofos, Decis).
If the apple tree is slightly damaged, then folk remedies can be used for spraying: infusions of wormwood, tobacco, tansy, dill. Experienced gardeners plant plants in the garden, the smell of which is not liked by pests: garlic, medicinal chamomile, tansy, marigolds. In autumn, it is recommended to collect and burn all the fallen leaves from the apple tree, and dig the soil, then pour it with a solution of insecticides – this preventive measure will help destroy the larvae of pests wintering in the ground, and at the same time neutralize the soil from fungal spores.
Video “Diseases of fruit trees”
From the video you will learn what an apple tree can get sick with.
