bramley apple tree companion

[Robert_Brenchley]

I have a Bramley and a  Cox.   Do I need a third tree to get a crop from them?

You do if you want a crop from the Cox. You already have a pollinator for the Bramley, but the Bramley won't pollinate the Cox.

If you leave it as it is, there's a good chance there will be a tree somewhere in range that will provide the extra pollination. So you could leave it a year or two and see, if you don't really want the third tree. But be prepared to plant one if necessary.

[Robert_Brenchley]

[Digeroo]

I bought a couple of bramleys from Lidl a couple of years ago and they have been very fruit shy.  But there was plenty of apple blossom around the neighbourhood when they flowered.  Finally got two apples on on tree and four on the other.  Result.

I saw a posting on another site suggesting using a feather duster to hand pollinate them.  Had an image of someone prancing round the garden in their pinny with a feather duster?  Perhaps something like this.

trishatruly.wordpress.com

[daileg]

went down homebase this morning they were selling a James Grieve for £5 no leaves about 18" tall looked dead no wonder had been reduced three times

[Robert_Brenchley]

I bought a couple of bramleys from Lidl a couple of years ago and they have been very fruit shy.  But there was plenty of apple blossom around the neighbourhood when they flowered.  Finally got two apples on on tree and four on the other.  Result.

I saw a posting on another site suggesting using a feather duster to hand pollinate them.  Had an image of someone prancing round the garden in their pinny with a feather duster?  Perhaps something like this.

trishatruly.wordpress.com

You won't get fruit from hand pollinating Bramleys. they don't produce pollen. You need another variety.

[Digeroo]

Presume you have to pass the feather over a flower from another tree first. 

I was very lucky.  My bramley started flowering and there were no other apple flowers in sight.  So thought I would have no fruit yet again.  Even went down to my local garden centre to see what was in flower and there was nothing. 

The very next day a decorative crab decided to open its flowers and voila there was a whole tree full of flowers for the bees to choose from.  Within two days almost all the apple trees in the garden had started flowering.  Three crabs, a James Grieve, a Discovery and a couple that shall remain nameless from Lidl, soon followed by Golden Delicious.  They are not supposed to all be in the same group, but it seems to work.