Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: sawfish on September 21, 2010, 18:46:24
-
Where should I buy my apple trees online? Any unusual apples you can suggest for the damp Glasgow climate?
-
I would not use word 'should'..and before anybody say that I'm promoting some companies, I shall highlight that I only mention these are I have ordered from them before and found their service good...
Right then...
www.deaconsnurseryfruits.co.uk (http://www.deaconsnurseryfruits.co.uk)
http://www.rvroger.co.uk/index.php?linksource=listgroup&listgroupfile=treesand one that I've been looking from but not ordered...yet.. ;D
http://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk/default.aspx (http://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk/default.aspx)
..some to start with..once I warm my typing finger I may come up with some others..if needed.. ;)
-
http://www.orangepippinshop.com/ (http://www.orangepippinshop.com/)
-
lets do this one again.. ::)
http://www.rvroger.co.uk/index.php?linksource=listgroup&listgroupfile=trees (http://www.rvroger.co.uk/index.php?linksource=listgroup&listgroupfile=trees)
-
Egremont Russet should do well....... :-\
-
three brilliant sites. Thanks folks.
-
Let us know what you come up with...
-
We got ours from Ashridge nurseries and have seen the brilliant result in just 2 years. They also send us an email every month to advise us about caring for fruit.
-
If I were you, I should look for a good local nursery. I'm not thinking in terms of cold, but damp. I used to live in Cornwall, where the damp climate can be difficult for fruit, so local knowledge might be useful.
-
unfortunately Butterworths in Ayrshire is no longer selling apple trees so its got to be somewhere else. I'll get 3 good ones.
-
Apples Reputed to be Resistant to Canker for the North of the UK. include Discovery, Falstaff,
Yes, I appreciate this is a very short list, but until I see reliable evidence, I am reluctant to make further recommendations. (Feel free to advise me of any other varieties that you know from personal knowledge, do well and resist Canker in the North West of U.K.)
Crab Apples. Many of the crab apples seem to have resistance to Canker, except for John Downie.
Avoid these Apples in the North West of U.K. as reputed to be prone to Canker Elstar, Fiesta (horrific, I know from personal experience), Gala, James Grieve (bad), Cox, Laxtons Fortune (bad), Golden Noble, Jonagold, Spartan, Worcester Pearmain, Ribston Pippin, Lanes Prince Albert, Sunset, Suntan,
Crab apple John Downie (bad).
Traditional varieties of apples, recommended by an Apple expert for planting in Scotland, include:-
Eating Apples. Charles Ross, Discovery, Ellison’s Orange, James Grieve (except West), Worcester Pearmain.
Cooking Apples. Bramley’s Seedling, Emneth Early, Grenadier (not North East), Lord Derby, Howgate Wonder (not North East or North West).
-
this place might be worth a look.
http://www.agroforestry.co.uk/plantorders.html (http://www.agroforestry.co.uk/plantorders.html)
-
That site would be a serious drain on the finances if only all the interesting plants weren't out of stock >:(
And I'd need another allotment..... ;D
-
I'm thinking...
Mere de Menage - Maiden (M106)
Court Pendu Plat - Bush (M106)
Peasgood Nonsuch - Bush (M106)
as far as I have read these are all quite hardy. Then you get trees that are called hardy but are susceptible to late frosts! It's confusing.
-
I think that the susceptible to late frost refers to the flowers. We have one tree which flowers early and sometimes the frost nips the heart out of the flowers. The tree survives ok but the fruit either falls off or becomes misshaped.
When I was young I can remember the smudge pots in the orchards in parts of Kent except they tended to be bales of straw being burned.
-
That site would be a serious drain on the finances if only all the interesting plants weren't out of stock >:(
And I'd need another allotment..... ;D
We've all been there! :)
-
Sawfish..where ever you are going to order them from...I would still recommend you to give them a call and chat about your options and their recommendations as nurseries are only putting down main pointers for each variety..and often they are able to 'pin point' something that would be just right for you and your location....nothing beats good chat.. ;D..and if they really want your money they'll 'work' for it ;)
Interesting selection you've picked...2 cookers and eater..all good keepers..and strong enough rootstock to give you some sturdy trees.. ;D
Then you get trees that are called hardy but are susceptible to late frosts!..ohh...that means that the trees itselves are hardy and can cope with low temperatures..but the flowers may not and/or are flowering at the time when frosts are common...
-
That site would be a serious drain on the finances if only all the interesting plants weren't out of stock >:(
And I'd need another allotment..... ;D
yes I know lots are out of stock but I have enjoyed reading the different things they do supply. next year I might buy something different just to try, if I can manage to find it in stocl
-
thanks Goodlife. Strangely enough I emailed them yesterday.
If an apple was susceptible to frost would it help if you were to cover it in fleece, even a double layer? Just leave it on till May?
-
My final choices from R. V. Roger were:
Apple Bloody Ploughman. Bush (M106)
Apple Court Pendu Plat. Bush (M106)
Apple Mere de Menage. Maiden (M106)
Apple Tydeman's Late Orange. Bush (M106)
Pear Durondeau. Bush (Quince A)
what do you think? I already have a Discovery apple and an Invincible (Delwinor) pear.
-
Decide first if you want your apple trees to be
Standard
That means a big tree you will need a ladder to collect the fruit from and you need to have have loads of space for it
Cordon
That means it will climb along a wall or a substantial fence
Miniature
That means they will grow in a big tub or wont grow too tall.
Ballerina
They grow on a single branch and do not spread like normal trees.
Next think of the type of apple you like. Is it for cooking eating (for taste) or keeping for both cooking and keeping.
The size of the area you have available can dictate the type and variety of apple tree suitable for you.
Forget the apples available in shops. (often imported) You can, with your own tree enjoy apples that are not grown commercially and there are loads of them with wonderful flavours.
I will say one thing at this point. Watch out for being tempted to buy an apple tree which has beautiful red apples. As yet. I have not found a red apple brilliant to eat, nor have I found any one who has tasted a beautiful looking red apple who will tell me that they are scrumptious.
An apple tree is for life. So make sure that you get a variety you will enjoy especially if you only have the space to grow one variety.
If need be wait a year to decide after tasting a few.
Three Examples are:-
Coxes Orange Pippin Lovely taste and they keep fairly well
Russets, outstanding flavour but they do not keep well
Bramley
Are a superb cooking apple, very sour but most British people adore them cooked with loads of sugar. They need five other varieties of apples nearby to pollenate them properly BUT that could be within two miles so don't be put off if you want cooking apples.
An apple tree sounds like a wonderful idea but my personal advice is:- WAIT until you have tasted a locally grown apple you love then buy the tree. Taste is personal and with so many varieties available, why go by what other people tell you or look at a pretty picture in a catalogue?
I have all the above and a Worcester too. If I had to chose I would keep the Bramley then the Russet. My dear departed father would have kept the Coxes Orange Pippin My husband would prefer to Russet. to all the others Yet my daughter thinks the Worcester is the best.
My grand daughter likes Golden Delicious best and buys hers rather than eat what we grow for free.
Ard Werk Innit?
-
Sawfish, have you visited the children's garden yet at the Glasgow Botanics? I went yesterday and you can see how about 12 varieties are doing. Very well actually, with surprisingly little canker. Still no word as to when their apple day is due.
-
Cox's is OK if you live in Kent, but it's got a reputation for being unreliable in British summers. There are plenty of Cox relatives which are comparable and probably better; Sunset is supposed to be good one.
-
Yes I avoided Cox's Pippin because it doesn't grow well here but mainly because I don't like the taste. I love Discovery apples though. I think the three choices I made seem pretty darned good.
I'll keep an eye out for the botanics apple day Realfood :)
-
....
If an apple was susceptible to frost would it help if you were to cover it in fleece, even a double layer? Just leave it on till May?
The problem with covering apple trees in fleece once they're in blossom is that pollinating insects can't reach the flowers, so no apples would subsequently grow. Same applies to all other insect-pollinated fruit trees.