Author Topic: fruit tree novice needing help please!  (Read 3033 times)

netty

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fruit tree novice needing help please!
« on: February 20, 2011, 20:07:07 »
Hi I would really like to buy some fruit trees for my allotment but havent got a clue as to which type to purchase>I know that some apple trees are different sizes but that is about it. I dont want anything too big as I dont want anything causing shade to my neighbours. Any help would be appreciated. Are the trees that can be bought in morrisons suitable for example or do I need to buy from nursery ? My allotment is on clay soil by the way. Thanks. ::)

grannyjanny

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Re: fruit tree novice needing help please!
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2011, 20:13:23 »
We only have a half plot & we bought ours 2 years ago from Lidls. We planted them at an angle (oblique cordon). We have 4 apple & 2 pears planted along an 18' strip & they are doing very well. We had fruit last year. Our daughter got an allotment last year & we bought her some trees from Morrison's, they had a good selection last year but we found it to be very poor this year.

goodlife

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Re: fruit tree novice needing help please!
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2011, 20:46:04 »
First you need to decide what fruit you would like..apples, pears, plums etc.
And then the fun starts...deciding the varieties. ;D
It helps if you have some idea what kind of space you have available to fill.
As for buying trees..well that is up to you..'normal' shops trees are perfectly fine, but the varieties they have on offer are very limited and tend to be commercial varieties..same that are sold as fruit in supermarkets.
If you buy from nurseries..yes, they are bit more expensive, but often you have hundreds of different sort to choose from and more saying what size the trees will grow into.
Almost all fruit trees are crafted into different rootstock..generally it is the used rootstock that dominate how large that tree grow.
M26 is semi-drawfing rootstock and the tree crafted on that will have potential to grow up to 4 metres in 10 years. How many can you fit in?
Let say 2..then you need to look varieties that tickles you fancy....take note that they have similar flowering time or look for polination croup number/letter.
That's about it... ::) I know it sounds bit complicated, but it does help to pay attention and do some home work.
Maybe you could spend hour or two just reading about it first..getting some idea what you would like so when you go out to hunt your bargain you are aware of some basics ;) l'll post some links to have look at...

goodlife

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Re: fruit tree novice needing help please!
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2011, 21:03:05 »
http://www.orangepippin.com/
http://www.deaconsnurseryfruits.co.uk/
http://www.blackmoor.co.uk/
http://www.rvroger.co.uk/?linksource=frontpage
Nurseries are able to answer your questions and check that your selection will be compatible with pollination if you are not sure with your choices..
But otherwise use their info for you knowledge and storm into shops and pick some bargains.. ;)
Once you have more idea of the space you have available, varieties you would like..or anything specific, drop some more questions and hopefully we are able to help more.

netty

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Re: fruit tree novice needing help please!
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2011, 13:23:48 »
thanks so much for your helpful replys.I still have about a third of my full soze plot to fill so plenty of space for a few trees. I will look up the links Goodlife and do some reading this week as I have week off from work.

Russell

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Re: fruit tree novice needing help please!
« Reply #5 on: February 21, 2011, 23:24:29 »
Welcome to another fruit-grower, I hope you get as much out of it as I do.
Suggestion 1: If you buy from a nursery (assuming they are not sold out by now) you can contain the cost by having maiden trees i.e. only a year old. They do nearly as well as two year olds and are half the price.
Suggestion 2: I always recommend anyone planning their first apple tree to make it a James Grieve. They used to be a commercial variety seventy years ago, never fail to crop, OK in all parts of the country, very juicy and an outstanding pollinator for your other apple varieties. Their only drawback is they bruise easily, so pick with care. Being a second early they can be eaten straight from the tree and don't keep for long but they do last in my fridge for three weeks after picking (unless eaten first).

Robert_Brenchley

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Re: fruit tree novice needing help please!
« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2011, 23:44:03 »
James Grieve is an excellent apple, though there are others I like better. Grow it on a trunk; it's a partial tip bearer, and if it doesn't have a trunk, fruit can weigh thin branches down to the ground. I find tip bearers tend to grow sideways rather than upwards, and this needs to be allowed for!

 

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