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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: carlby on August 04, 2011, 21:02:52

Title: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: carlby on August 04, 2011, 21:02:52

Hi,

I'm a new member and took over a half plot in late May.  I bought 11 fruit bushes in Aldi today for £1.99 each.  Goji berries, tayberries, blueberries, red gooseberries and loganberries.

The thing is I haven't a clue what to do with them now!

I don't have anywhere for them to go yet, as I need to clear ground first.   

Can anyone please tell me when they should be planted, and what I should do with them in the meantime?  Can I just keep them in the pots (9cm) or should I transplant them to bigger pots? Could I then just leave them outdoors until I plant them in the ground?

Thanks.

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: RenishawPhil on August 04, 2011, 21:23:43

That's not a bad price.  What's the plants like?. I might nip down to my local one.

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: carlby on August 04, 2011, 22:29:02

Hi, they look nice, with new shoots.  Haven't looked at the roots though (mainly as I wouldn't know what i was looking for!).

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: Growing4twins on August 05, 2011, 01:10:29

Oooo, have they got them back in???  Happy days :) I quite fancy a loganberry :)

TO be honest ive never had a bad plant from Aldi's  I was in the same situation in the spring, i brought a gooseberry, a yellow raspberry & a normal raspberry.  My garden wasnt ready for them to be planted so i soaked them for a day or so & then planted them into big pots, like the 1's you get from florists.  They have done really well, ive had a fair few raspberrys off both plants & will probably transfer them around september time.

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: sunloving on August 05, 2011, 09:54:40

Yes i agree with above and those morrisons flower buckets ( 8 for a pound) with afew holes in would be perfect temporary homes for them.
Im off to find some blueberries and red gooseberries for a few gaps :)

x sunloving

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: RenishawPhil on August 05, 2011, 10:21:54

Well brought 10 plants and pretty pleases with them:)

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: brown thumb on August 05, 2011, 11:52:56

i also popped down to the local and got 2blueberries  2 gojiberries 2red gooseberries a fig a kiwi as there is already another on the next plot and a grape there were no more tayberries or logan berries left :'( ;)  i will pop over again and check next week

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: RenishawPhil on August 05, 2011, 12:11:26

all but one was a gooseberry, got a bluebery, didnt want to bother with a fig,

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: Stevens706 on August 05, 2011, 12:38:17

Welcome Carlby, if it is going to be a while before you can put them in their final position, why don’t you clear a small area and heel them in (temporally plant them) until you are ready, this will reduce the need to keep watering them.

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: carlby on August 05, 2011, 21:02:49

Thanks for the replies.

It would be great if I could heel them in now, but would I damage/weaken them by transplanting them later.

Cheap morrisons pots sound great.

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: zigzig on August 06, 2011, 03:10:50

Get the biggest buckets you can find  Punch drainage holes in the base (any thing will do like clean, well washed old containers) fill them with some fairly decent soil or grow bag material and then add the plants.

Provided they are well watered but not over watered. They will happily survive ( weather permitting) until you have a place ready to plant them Next year or even the year after. Depending on how big the containers are.

You could also set aside a part of your plot to plant them then move them later on (like next spring) if that is more convenient.

It is all a learning curve so enjoy the experiment.






 

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: carlby on August 06, 2011, 20:26:47

Thanks for that.

I'm thinking of growing them as a hedge but maybe they would be too bushy.  Might be better to plant in big pots and mull over it.

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: Growing4twins on August 11, 2011, 09:00:47

Well i think i left it a bit late to get my fruit bushes :( Gooseberry's galore but none of the loganberry's that i was after :( Still it wasnt a wasted journey, i picked up a fig which looked like it was on its last legs (but it has new shoots :) ) they reduced it 2 99p 4 me.  I thought well if they r gonna reduce it ill go & get the grape aswell that looked like it was knocking on deaths door.  She didnt even scan that 1, so i got 2 plants 4 99p, happy days :D :D

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: tomatoada on August 11, 2011, 09:35:11

G/4/T which Aldi did you go to?   I tried the one at the Maypole.  None there.  Thanks.

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: Growing4twins on August 11, 2011, 10:14:12

I went to the 1 in northfield they had red gooseberrys & gojaberrys :) good luck with the hunt, if northfield is no good try selly oak, only 5 mins down the bristol road :)

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: sticks on August 11, 2011, 10:22:36

I had the last two Loganberry from Selly Oak on Friday :) They may have re-stocked since then but it was pretty much red gooseberry and goja berry plants left.

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: Growing4twins on August 11, 2011, 10:29:46

Sticks, im soooooooo jealous!!!!!!!!

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: tomatoada on August 11, 2011, 12:05:45

Thanks for reply G/4/T.  I will try Redditch next.

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: sticks on August 11, 2011, 13:05:54

If I see anything in any of the other stores I'll let you know.

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: Spudbash on August 11, 2011, 15:42:01

I bought a gojiberry, two figs and two blueberries from the Reading store on the 4th and have finally got round to ringing Aldi to enquire the names of the varieties I've got. I'm not sure whether this information will be accurate for trees/bushes that others have bought, but, for the record, mine are: fig - Brown Turkey, blueberry - Bluecrop and gojiberry - no variety name applicable.

Knowing how frustrating it is trying to find a suitable site for a fruit tree or bush when you don't have all the relevant information, I also asked both the Aldi customer services person and Aldi's supplier for more details to be printed on the label, in future. Apparently, the most commonly-asked question is to do with pollination, but I also made a special plea for named rootstocks in the case of apples and pears.

Now to figure out where the heck to plant these bushes!  ;D ;D

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: carlby on August 12, 2011, 20:38:32

That's really useful information about the variety of fruit, thanks.  Do you know if I need another cultivar for the blueberry?

I'm starting another post asking for advice about an edible hedge so anyone has the inclination then please have a look.

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: Spudbash on August 14, 2011, 13:50:46

Hi carlby,

This is the best source of info on blueberry-growing that I know - it's a bit equivocal on pollinators, though..

http://www.dorset-blueberry.com/advice.html

Spudbash  :)

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: Growing4twins on August 14, 2011, 16:45:31

Thanks for that link Spudbash, that answered my question on where i was going to plant my blueberry.  Looks like another plant for a container as my mom thinks my soil is alkaline.  Is there a quick home test you can do to see what type of soil you have??

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: brown thumb on August 14, 2011, 19:34:19

i think there is an home recipe mix vinegar with some of your own soil cant find the thread anywhere might not be on this site some one more experienced might tell you the correct method

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: Stopp on August 14, 2011, 19:55:56

http://frugalliving.about.com/od/gardening/ht/Soil_Test.htm

Is this it?

Sharon xx

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: brown thumb on August 14, 2011, 20:08:59

thats the one thank you for finding it again for me knew i saw it some where

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: carlby on August 14, 2011, 20:14:23

Thanks for the info.  Hmmm, I don't want to grow them in pots, yet I know my soil isn't acidic.  I thought I could just add something acidic.  Must do a bit of research (unless anyone expert is reading)

Title: Re: Aldi fruit bushes - how/when to plant?
Post by: Growing4twins on August 14, 2011, 20:49:37

Thanks for that link Sharon, I shall be doing that tomorrow :). How much does the PH vary in a garden??  My garden isnt huge but is possible that 1 side is acid & the other is alkaline?? 

Wel i have plenty of ash from the beastie bush if it is acidic, any 1 got any pine needles if it goes the other way???

Sorry for hi-jacking & changing the subject of the thread :/