Topic: Opinions on Fruit

[Aidy]

I am clearing a long strip of the lottie for soft fruit and apple/pear tree, I am only putting raspberries and gooseberries in with a apple and pear tree at the end of the strip, what varities do the educated people who use this forum recommend???
Thanks in advance
Aidy

[northener]

Don't know but i was going to ask a similiar question. Just seen various fruit trees at Morrissons for 4.99 are they any good? will they be better then morrissons own fruit ?

[Aidy]

Hope the quality will be better than their own, this was one reason I started to grow my own.

[derbex]

Try taking a look at http://www.fruitwise.net/ -be warned I was just browsing and I've bought another 8 trees (he's not a shop).

Garden action is good too http://gardenaction.co.uk/

Jeremy

[Columbus]

Hi Aidy and Northener,  :)

I bought two trees, an apple and a pear, from Morrissons last year. They both took. The pear is in leaf and the apple is in blossom now and I expect fruit this year. I also bought cheap trees from Aldi this year and they are in leaf and seem ok. It seems that buying cheaper trees is ok. I couldn`t afford more mature trees or transport them. I enjoy watching them settle in and grow and I`m sure I`ll get fruit eventually. I don`t remember the varieties right now, I have to buy whatever is available for the price but I read the packaging to see how big they might get.
Woolworths had some too but slightly bigger and slightly more expensive I think so you might want to take a look there.

Col

[Anne Robertson]

You're so lucky being allowed fruit trees on your lotties. We are not allowed anything permenant over a meter tall so that rules out sheds as well!
Luckily they haven't come round measuring the raspberry canes yet! :)

[Apple Dumpling]

Hi Aidy,

Have you thought about putting in apple and pear cordons instead of trees. They don't take up so much room and you could have more varieties. Also apples and pears usually need another variety for pollination, so it might solve that problem too, if you chose the varieties carefully, with pollination groups in mind. 

I've got Annie Elizabeth, Golden Delicious, Blenheim Orange, Laxton's Epicure (apples), Conference, Williams Bon Chretien, Doyenne du Comice (pears), Victoria, Czar and Laxton Gage (plums). They're all in a 25 foot line so don't take up as much room as you'ld think. Got them mail order from Deacon's nursery 01983 840750. They have a lot of choice in their catalogue, and I found them very helpful and the plants were good too, so I'ld recommend them.

I'm far from an expert, but I hope this helps.

Apple

[wardy]

Apple Dumpling     good info there  :)  Do the cordons have to be spaced out and by how much ?

[Ceri]

Ani

I think I'd be tempted to grow some stepover apples out of sheer Bl**dymindedness.

Could you have a shed and stick some wheels on the outside and say its moveable!!

We aren't allowed any permanent plantings full stop, including strawberries, asparagus as well as fruit. 

[derbex]

Apple has a point about pollination, if there are others on your allotment with apple trees you should be ok (or if there's a crab in range). Otherwise you'll need a mix either as seperate trees or as a 'family tree'. Not all apples pollinate each other, they have to be in flower at the same time and some like Bramleys & Blenheims don't pollinate at all.

Wardy, I planted my cordons (the support is the wooden post structure in the Derbex Acres picture) about 18" to 2ft apart. Trouble is that they take up quite a length when they're at 45 degrees, although you can grow them vertically it's more difficult to do so.

BTW I think you're too late for bare-rooted plants this year, although you could try a container tree they're more difficult to establish.

Jeremy

[ACE]

pears usually nead two to tango, make sure a near neighbour gets a different variety or graft another onto your tree.

[Clayhithe]

Wardy,

You could train any apple or pear tree into an espalier.

Tie a vertical cane to the trunk,  and horizontal canes for the tiers.
You could have three tiers up to 99cm high and as long as you like.

[Aidy]

Thanks gang, there should be no probs with pollination, we are lucky in that the only real restriction is no livestock, all good people around me have fruit trees. I have decided on the pear variety, still pondering on the apple, but the big question is which gooseberry???? Any ideas???
Regards
Aidy

[North Country Boy]

Ive just put 3 gooseberry trees on my lottie bought from a mad old woman out of the admag, she didnt know what variety they were, and TBH im not really that bothered as long as they fruit and tase good. Ive seen the small fruit trees in wilcos, aldi, poundstretcher and the like but seem to be put off by their size, looks like they would take years to fruit, but if money dictates i suppose there not a bad buy.

[wardy]

I like the sound of Pax which is a red guzgog  :)  Don't know anything about the flavour but that's the one I want to buy next.  Anyone know what it tastes like?

Ta for the tip about the espalier apple/pear Clayhithe  :)