LIDL website says fruit trees available from 25/2 at £5.99 each or £10 for two - anyone had success with LIDL trees before? Seems a good price anyway - worth a shot, think I'll try some (apple, plum and pear - but will I need to get a pair re fertilising, or rely on other fruit trees in thearea/allotment site?)
I planted mine out in 2007 and they have crops brilliantly the past two years. I would recommend them. ;D
Hi Mike,
I think I have about 10 trees and 15 fruit bushes, all from bargain shops.
They are small so they may take a while to crop but now I have surpluses for jam etc.
Lidl trees, fruit bushes and seeds have always been successful for me.
If there are other similar trees on your site you`ll probably be ok for fertilising otherwise get two.
Best of luck, Col
I have 3 lidl fruit trees from 2007 and 1 from 2008. Some even cropped the first year. They have done very well, established a lot better than one from Woolies. They do not always seem to be the variety on the label. But I am very pleased with what I have got.
I was not sure of the root stock but they do not yet seem to be having any plans for a mass take over of the garden. But I am keeping an eye out and my secateurs at the ready.
Apples certainly need pollinators, bramley needs two, but decorative crab apple trees can come into the equation. Last year on the day my bramley (lidl) flowered there was nothing in the neighbourhood in flower, but by the next day there were several crabs open. It had two fruits for the first time.
I have three 25 year old trees as well, and though from two different groups do actually flower together, though interestingly they all fruit at different times. Convenient but not planned.
Yesterday I bought an Elstar apple from Aldi for £3.99. It looks a good plant. I bought the same tree a few years ago from a nursery for £24.99 and it died. Hoping for more success this time. They had quite a few fruit varieties but I don't have space for any more.
I bought 10 Lidl fruit trees last year and they are all doing well and look very healthy. There is not much to lose financially if a couple of them fai.
Duke :)
I had a couple of fruit bushes from there which turned out to be something completely different.
me, too..our nectarine transformed into a peach but they taste fantastic so I don't mind ;D
Quote from: worldor on February 19, 2010, 08:59:34
Yesterday I bought an Elstar apple from Aldi for £3.99. It looks a good plant. I bought the same tree a few years ago from a nursery for £24.99 and it died. Hoping for more success this time. They had quite a few fruit varieties but I don't have space for any more.
I got Elstar and Cox's from Aldi a few years ago, both are doing well but took until their second year with me to fruit properly as you'd expect.
They are very similar in taste, shape and colour, but the Elstar is more prolific, considerably so.
Granny Smiths too, but that's completely different. :)
Last year I planted Jonagold, Bramley, Conference pear and Victoria plum on the plot, all from Aldi. Hoping for big things next year, and at least something this year.
Never had one fail, come to think of it.
i got a few last year - 2 apples which I espaliered - no fruit yet but here's hoping (they has a severe haircut last year to get the shape!). Also 2 plums. Only failure was a cherry, but I think merely because I had it stored for too long before finally planting it. planning to get maybe 4 more this year to espalier them to use as a border/fence to some areas of the plot.
Go for it, you wont regret it!
i have been thinking or dithering about planting fruit trees for a while. may try the LIDL trees as they are so cheap. anybody know the root stock, as i dont have space for large trees. if they are not dwarf stock can i prune them to be small trees (and still be productive) or will the root be too dominant?
We bought a Victoria Plum, Bramley apple, cox's and a stella cherry tree last year (feb), all I must say are doing very well so have been impressed so far.
Choosing a rootstock is important but for the cost of these and my inexperience it was worth a try. I dont mind learning about prunning so if they require more attention thats ok. I have staked them because the apple trees do not produce strong roots on a M9 rootstock.
I read some where on another forum that they were informed that the following is what Lidl use for their rootstocks:
Apples: 'M9' Dwarf Rootstock
Cherry: 'Colt' Rootstock, has uniform growth patterns and is semi vigourous
Plums: 'St Julian' A Rootstock or 'Myrobolane' Rootstock, virus free ans semi vigourous growth
Pears: 'Quince A' Rootstock
I am sure if you drop Lidl an email they will let you know. :)
Clive
Still on the subject of fruit trees but slightly off this thread I suppose. We have been told by our treasurer that we can't plant trees on our plot. We had bought two minarettes and had already put them in so we had to dig them up and bring them home.
Is there an actual rule, or were they just being officious?
Just got meself a plum (apollo) and cherry (morello) from Aldi. Was planning to fan train them, but they're a bit bigger than I expected for the price. Not that I'm complaining like, but it's making me have second thoughts!
Had a look in my book and it seems to suggest that for fan training you need to start with something about a half a foot high. Any ideas whether it would still work with these, or whether I'd be able to try something similar to a tall cordon?
I'm guessing that the Lidl fruit trees must be on dwarf rootstocks as they are already in pots (unlike in previous years) and they mention in their add that you can grow them in pots. Also they are only a meter tall -quite a bit smaller than in previous years.
Tricia
Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on February 20, 2010, 14:14:19
Is there an actual rule, or were they just being officious?
We have never had any paper work so not sure if it is a rule or not.
I'd be wary of anything not followed up with a letter. last year one committee member asked me to take down a slide and swing for the kids. I polled around and no-one else had heard about this or thought it a problem. Swing and slide still there.....
Quote from: worldor on February 22, 2010, 10:29:18
We have never had any paper work so not sure if it is a rule or not.
If it's not in writing it's not a rule.
I bought 3 apple and 1 pear in 2008 and sadly negletted them for quite a while before planting.
However all have survived and 2 apple and 1 pear had fruit .
Why pay £20-25 for a friut tree at your local garden centre when you can get perfectly healthy plants for less than a £5 at Wilko's and the likes.
Quote from: Mrs Gumboot on February 20, 2010, 20:01:07
Just got meself a plum (apollo) and cherry (morello) from Aldi. Was planning to fan train them, ...
Had a look in my book and it seems to suggest that for fan training you need to start with something about a half a foot high. Any ideas whether it would still work with these, or whether I'd be able to try something similar to a tall cordon?
It's best to read a few different sources on fan training - you can start by planting your tree, and then you have to cut it down to about a foot to 18" high, just above a node or bud. Do this in spring. The tree will put out shoots, the best can be retained to form the first couple of main branches. Tie them into canes. The next spring, cut about a quarter to a third off the ends of these, and more shoots will form. Tie these into the shape you want too. Have a surf and see uf you can make sense of some of the info online. Good luck.
Thanks Jenny.
Waiting in for a delivery today (which I can guarantee will come at the end of the time slot ::) )so have plenty of time for surfing!