I've just purchased a 2yr old 6ft self fertile queen cox apple bush on a m26 rootstock and planted it, it has 10 branches. Does anyone think i will get fruit this year or have i got to wait a few years. Any advice would be much appreciated.
:) Hi giant
I'm afraid I can't help at all with your enquiry, but I thought it was only polite to reply, as nobody seams to be able to help ;)
there nothing worse I think than asking a question to which nobody answers :'(
Hallo ..I,m Rohaise ... :) I,m the "new one " ...Hallo everybody ! :D Phew ! It was hard work registering..I got it all wrong SO many times ! :o ) Well ,I.ll try and make myself useful, now I,,m here. I too have planted out three maiden apple trees ,mine are one year old . Now ,I was told that if they produce apple I should take them off this year as they could be too heavy for the young branches, making them bow down and could snap . I dont know about your two yr olds . However , I am SO longing to see them in bloom ,there is that to look forward to .....not long now . LUV Rohaise x
In autumn I planted 2x M26 apple trees. 1 is 3yrs and the other 2 yrs old. I have been assured both will bare fruit this year by people at my allotment society and of course the staff at the nursery. Different varieties though.
You should get some fruit on a tree that size.
I was told by a neighbour that the 'new thinking' (?) is that you should remove most of the fruit buds for the first few years to promote root growth - suspect this might be a temporary fad rather than good advice so would like to hear from others.
Have you pruned yet?
Finally, I'm not sure how self fertile a cox variety can be - I think you'd get more fruit if you had a pollinator.
Idont think I could bring myself to pick off the flowers . And you,d think nature would have a way of balancing it all out for the best . ....BUT ...does the present "new thinking " say I should prune my one year old maiden whip ? I thought it might be too soon ? Rohaise :-\
some people reckon to leave a couple of buds on, just for the fun ;D
Ours are about 6ft and I'm going to leave several :) We had two or three off each tree last year.
Looks like i maybe lucky then! thanks for all of your help