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Apple Tree Gala - Malus domestica

Malus domestica Gala
Apple, Orchard apple, Table apple, Cultivated apple

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Abdel, 23/05/2023

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This plant carries a 6 months recovery warranty

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This variety of apple is very popular and easy to grow in most regions. It produces a colourful apple, striped with red and yellow, with very crunchy, firm and juicy flesh, with flavours of banana and pear. Harvested in September and can be stored throughout autumn. Self-sterile apple tree requiring a pollinator.
Flavour
Sugary
Height at maturity
4 m
Spread at maturity
3.50 m
Exposure
Sun
Best planting time October to November
Recommended planting time February to March, September to November
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Flowering time April
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Harvest time September
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Description

Malus domestica Gala is a very poular variety. It is easy to grow in all regions. It is a fairly vigorous and highly productive variety, with quick fruiting on a tree that branches easily. The Gala apple is a round-shaped fruit, of medium size, with striped red and yellow skin. Its crisp flesh is firm, juicy, sweet, and aromatic, with hints of banana and pear. In September, the fruits can be consumed immediately after harvesting and can be stored for several weeks. With a high sugar content, it is a refreshing apple to bite into. Excellent in pies, compotes, or sautéed, the Gala apple is also greatly appreciated in savoury recipes. It is a self-sterile variety (triploid) that requires the presence of other apple varieties to improve pollination.

Malus domestica, also scientifically known as Malus communis or Malus pumila, is the Common or Domestic Apple Tree. It belongs to the Rosaceae family. Present in Europe since ancient times, it is a fruit tree native to the forests of Central Asia. It has excellent hardiness and is probably the most cultivated fruit tree in Northern Europe. There are approximately 20,000 varieties, including around 10,000 of American origin, 2,000 of English origin, and 2,000 of Chinese origin. The Gala Apple is a variety created in New Zealand by J.H. Kidds in 1920. It is the result of several cross-breedings: Cox Orange x Red Delicious, which resulted in Kidd's Orange Red, crossed with Golden Delicious to obtain Gala.

There are several mutants of the Gala apple, often selected for their more pronounced red colouration, such as Royal Gala®, Delbard Gala®, Gala Star®, Galaval or Jugala, Mondial Gala® and Galaxy Gala.

Elegant, the Gala Apple Tree has a semi-erect habit, which branches well. Its foliage consists of large, ovate, green-brown leaves on the upper side and white-green on the lower side, deeply dentate. The mid-early flowering occurs in April, which usually protects it from frost. The apple tree is therefore suitable for cultivation in all regions. The flowers are destroyed by frost from -2 to -3°C. It is a triploid variety which, despite its vigour, produces poor quality pollen, making it very weakly capable of pollinating other apple varieties. It produces apples with few or no fertile seeds. It is said to be self-sterile, which is why the presence of apple trees that flower at the same time is necessary.  The varieties Belchard®, Elstar, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Melrose and Reine des Reinettes are suitable for cross-pollination. Ornamental apple trees, such as Perpetu Evereste and  John Downie flower abundantly and can be excellent pollinators.

The Gala Apple Tree is a fairly vigorous variety, with quick fruiting, highly productive, with low biennial bearing, meaning it produces abundantly every year. The fruiting, uniform and abundant, begins in early September. The apple can be consumed raw or cooked, in compotes, pastries, paired with cheeses, or as an accompaniment to savoury dishes, with black pudding, pork, or in salads. It is also perfect for making juice. Easy to consume, the apple provides a great feeling of satiety. Rich in carbohydrates and fructose, it is invigorating, energising, and rehydrating. Its content of vitamins A, B, C, and E, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre makes the apple a health asset. The fruits can be stored for part of the winter. Storage can be done in a cool, clean place, protected from light at a temperature around 8 to 10°C or in a cold room, sealed from outside air at a temperature of 1 to 3°C. The apple releases ethylene, a gas that promotes fruit ripening. To accelerate the ripening of your other fruits or vegetables, place your apples next to them.

Very popular thanks to its fruit, the apple tree finds its place in the garden for the enjoyment of young and old alike. Among a wide range of apple trees , it is easy to find the variety that best suits your taste.

 

Apple Tree Gala - Malus domestica in pictures

Apple Tree Gala - Malus domestica (Harvest) Harvest

Plant habit

Height at maturity 4 m
Spread at maturity 3.50 m
Growth rate normal

Fruit

Fruit colour red
Fruit diameter 7 cm
Flavour Sugary
Use Table, Compote, Patisserie, Cooking
Harvest time September

Flowering

Flower colour white
Flowering time April
Inflorescence Umbel
Flower size 3 cm
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour medium green

Botanical data

Genus

Malus

Species

domestica

Cultivar

Gala

Family

Rosaceae

Other common names

Apple, Orchard apple, Table apple, Cultivated apple

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

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Planting and care

Choose a sunny spot for your Gala Apple tree. The soil can be slightly alkaline or acidic but not excessively so. Dig a large planting hole at least 3 times the volume of the root ball. Simultaneously add organic matter (topsoil, compost) and a base fertiliser such as crushed horn. Do not bury the graft point. Stake if necessary. For apple trees planted in isolation and in open areas, it may be helpful to stake them by installing a bracing system: plant 3 stakes in a triangle 50 cm (20in) around the trunk, and connect them together with pieces of wood. Protect the bark with a piece of e.g. rubber, and attach the stakes to the trunk with metal wires. Water abundantly, even in winter, and even if it rains. Fruit trees are ideally planted between October and March, outside of the freezing period. Container-grown plants can be planted all year round except during periods of high heat or frost.

In winter you can add a small handful of wood ash, around the base of the tree and lightly incorporated into the surface of the soil - rich in potash, this will improve fruiting. Apple trees can be subject to various diseases and pests. In order to limit risks, space the trees sufficiently, and install multi-species hedges, nest boxes or insect hotels to attract beneficial insects. In summary: prioritise biodiversity. The main diseases of the Apple tree are scab (brown spots on the leaves), brown rot (wilting of flowers and rotting of fruits on the tree) and powdery mildew (white powdery coating on the leaves). For these three cases preventive action is preferred by spraying a decoction of horsetail, or as a last resort and in case of severe attacks, a treatment based on Bordeaux mixture can be applied. As for pests, the codling moth (or fruit worm) is a small caterpillar, resulting from the egg laying of a butterfly, that causes tunnels inside the fruit. To remedy this, it is preferable to act preventively by promoting the installation of tits and bats through the placement of nest boxes. In case of aphid infestation, spray a solution based on black soap.

During the harvest in September, only keep the picked fruit. For good storage, it is desirable to place the apple with its stem downward, on shelves or in crates. Preferably choose a completely dark, dry and cool place, but frost-free.

Planting period

Best planting time October to November
Recommended planting time February to March, September to November

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow
Type of use Free-standing, Orchard
Hardiness Hardy down to -23°C (USDA zone 6a) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Any
Soil type Clayey (heavy), Clayey-chalky (heavy and alkaline), Silty-loamy (rich and light), Deep, not too dry.

Care

Pruning instructions The pruning of your apple tree can be limited to a simple removal of dead or obstructive branches at the end of winter, in March. During the first 3 or 4 years, you can also promote the formation of 4 or 5 main branches, giving it a goblet-shaped habit, which is traditional in fruit tree cultivation. In any case, make sure to leave some spaces in the tree's structure for good air circulation and light. Don't hesitate to thin out the fruit clusters in June. Removing some fruits relieves fragile branches and helps achieve a better fruit size.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time February to March
Soil moisture Tolerant
Disease resistance Average
Overwinter Can be left in the ground
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