Hi all,
Wondered if i could pick your brains again ;D. I would like to have an apple tree in the garden but have no where to plant one ( Well in the ground).
I have been told you can container grow certain types! Anyone know what ones? I don't want a huge tree and believe the sort i want is a semi dwarf which means i would get a good crop out of a smaller tree. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
I would like eating apples and they must be sweet. My children love apples and something like a gala would be fantastic.
Also last thing anyone know of a good supplier? I'm asking now as i might be getting one as a Xmas pressie :D
Thanks Lucy
I have never grown apples in a pot, but I know that Ken Muir sells 'minaret'
varieties of apples and pears suitable for pots.
Keepers Nursery. Google it. They have loads of advice online and you can contact them personally for more. They are lovely people and totally dedicated to fruit..
M9 rootstock is what you need for pot growing apple trees. after progressing to a 12" pot they can be maintained in production for up to 15 years in a pot this size. by removing 1 inch of rootball all round each year and replacing it with fresh soil each year, new roots are continually forming and keeping the tree healthy. This is how it's done at Audley End house, the HDRA display walled garden, designed by 'Capability' Brown
I have the dwarf Stella cherry tree and dwarf pear tree from Bakkers. Both are in pots that are doing well. This is their first year as I only got them in March as bare-root stock. They have plenty green but will begin to fruit until next year.
One of the cheapest places around when I was researching:
http://www.bakker.co.uk/index.aspx?Ntt=dwarf+fruit+tree&Ntk=NL&Ntx=mode+matchallany&Nty=1&N=0&D=dwarf+fruit+tree
Thanks all.
Great information its so exciting my sister is going to get me my apple tree for christmas ;D. Never really had an answer to the 'what would you like for christmas' before. Now im full of ideas. I am falling in love with gardening. My parents are getting me a couple of those mini green houses too.
Woho this is addictive ::)
Thanks again.
lucy
You want M27 rootstock from either Keepers, Deacons or Blackmoor.
I have planted various apple trees in my garden and if you like coxs I would try their close relative Fiesta /Jester/Jupiter which are much nicer in my opinion.
James Grieve is almost meant to be nice.
I have apples in pots make sure that the pots have holes in the bottom before you plant them (you can buy big ones from wilkinsons) and water and feed A LOT in the summer
Quote from: davholla on November 20, 2008, 15:26:46
You want M27 rootstock from either Keepers, Deacons or Blackmoor.
Not many M27 rootstock is suited to pot growing and it can still grow to 12ft. M9 or Dwarf rootstock is more suited to growing in pots as they only grow to a maximum of 7ft.
Quote from: ktlawson on November 20, 2008, 15:47:38
Quote from: davholla on November 20, 2008, 15:26:46
You want M27 rootstock from either Keepers, Deacons or Blackmoor.
Not many M27 rootstock is suited to pot growing and it can still grow to 12ft. M9 or Dwarf rootstock is more suited to growing in pots as they only grow to a maximum of 7ft.
Sorry should have checked more carefully.
James Grieves is very prone to Apple scab so I would not recommend it as a single apple tree. It is ok when like us you can have a dozen other trees with it.
Quote from: Palustris on November 20, 2008, 16:15:10
James Grieves is very prone to Apple scab so I would not recommend it as a single apple tree. It is ok when like us you can have a dozen other trees with it.
How does having more trees help?
Also how can I protect my James Grieve from scab?
the ground is really the best place for all fruit trees so you will need big big pots with enough room left at the top so you can add enriched compost every year, pick the dwarfing rootstock as suggested and maybe learn as much as you can about pruning and then shape the tree to keep it small such as the stepovers, cordons, minarettes, fans etc but with this amount of pruning you will need to select the best tree for this which will exclude tip bearers generally and then don't forget about pollination so if you only have one it will need to be self fertile which will also restrict choice of variety
Quote from: davholla on November 20, 2008, 16:59:08
Quote from: Palustris on November 20, 2008, 16:15:10
James Grieves is very prone to Apple scab so I would not recommend it as a single apple tree. It is ok when like us you can have a dozen other trees with it.
How does having more trees help?
Also how can I protect my James Grieve from scab?
If you have a lot of apple trees then the number of apples each tree can be allowed to produce may be reduced. That way we can remove the worst damaged of James Grieve without finishing up with no apples to eat.
You need to spray with either Copper sulphate about every two weeks from when the blossom falls until just before harvesting This is allowed I think under organic rules.
Or you can shoose to use a commercial fungicide. Follow the instructions on the packet.
Copper sulphate (or Bordeaux mixture which is much the same) gives a reasonable amount of protection, but not a completely clean crop.