Hi,
I'm hoping to have half an allotment all to myself within the next week or two, which is very exciting!
So my question - I'm not very picky about fruit (i.e. I like everything!), and thinking about planting fruit bushes down one side of the plot (it's a main path, and I think people have got used to cutting across what is essentially a vacant plot). Because it's only half a plot though space is at a premium, so I'd like to do my best to ensure that whatever I plant is (in theory) capable of a high yield. Any thoughts? Which fruit bushes tend to generate the highest yields? I'm in London, btw.
Ta!
Andrew
Hi where about in London are you? I'm in NW11 on London clay.
As Monty Don said last week - have a look about and see what your neighbours are growing and ask them what they recommend.
Fruit bushes take a while to establish so high yields may be a while away but also bear in mind that if your fruit bushes are on a path on a main thourghfare you don't want things pinched. All fruit needs some space though and the more you give it the better the yields, as does the quality of soil you start them off in. Uncomplicated fruits to grow are blackcurrants and red currants but you may need to net against the birds - again ask your neighbours.
I planted three rhubarb plants at the bottom of my plot next to the path gives a good full stop and doesn't matter if someone treads on them.
you cold if your allowed fences train gooseberries and tayberries and the like to make a thorny fence but do consider if this is going to create shade on the rest of your plot.
if not you can put up bean frames or wigwams next year along the edge.
welcome aboard and happy allotmenteering I'm sure others will have plenty of advise too
Nora
I've been growing a variety of autumn raspberry called Himbo Top which has been crazily productive. They've easily given me a big bowl of raspberries a day since the last week of August!
I planted one row of 8 bare root plants in the first year - and by dividing the roots in the second year had enough so that I now have a second row for nothing. Apparently if you prune them differently you can also get a summer crop out of them - but I've just been treating them as autumn raspberries.
Cheers
Squeezy
Jostaberry plants grow quickly and can be formed into a hedge and give pretty high yields of fruit. They are't thorny.
You could buy spur bearing apple trees now and try training into a step-over form, or cordons, or espaliers to make a border.
Or buy tip bearing apple trees and train them into bush forms, I found Discovery to be good for this, removing about a third of all the shoots every year, amd you can keep them smaller like this.
Quote from: squeezyjohn on October 10, 2014, 20:47:11
I've been growing a variety of autumn raspberry called Himbo Top which has been crazily productive. They've easily given me a big bowl of raspberries a day since the last week of August!
I planted one row of 8 bare root plants in the first year - and by dividing the roots in the second year had enough so that I now have a second row for nothing. Apparently if you prune them differently you can also get a summer crop out of them - but I've just been treating them as autumn raspberries.
Cheers
Squeezy
+1 for autumn raspberrys. they also spread like wild fire. They are dropping off the canes at the moment.
Cordon red currants, white currants and gooseberries will give you maximum crop per area. Make sure you get an upright growing gooseberry.