Allotments 4 All

Mrs Wivvles wants an apple tree for her birthday.  I've done a bit of reading and I was going to get her a "family tree" with three varieties grafted on to cross pollinate.  Has anyone had any experience of these?  Worth it or a gimmick?  Easy to grow and train or not? Bear in mind that it will be me that'll be doing all the hard work!!!

No. But I find the pruning of things like espaliers or minarettes quite demanding.

Ken Muir will always give helpful advice - if asked the right questions!

www.kenmuir.co.uk

i like the idea of having multiple fruit on one trunk :)
good for small spaces - though sadly my little plot is too small to even accommodate that if i still want vegetables (only got a 1/4 standard plot)

svea

Quote from: Svea on March 01, 2005, 11:49:36
i like the idea of having multiple fruit on one trunk :)
good for small spaces - though sadly my little plot is too small to even accommodate that if i still want vegetables (only got a 1/4 standard plot)

svea

I'm actually thinking of putting it against the south facing wall in our garden.  Although I may buy her a plum tree instead.

Decisions, decisions....  ???

I'm tempted to try a self-fertile cherry if I have space at my new place  :)

I am not sold on the idea of family trees never grown one myself but I have seen them revert to the dominant variety.

A south facing wall opens up the possibility of a peach or apricot?

Stephan

Moggle-I have the variety `Inga` and it`s a good one-but do remember to put fleece around the fruit as it ripens or the birds will get there first.

Stephan

ooo peach peach!  :o

I've done it - I bought her a Victoria plum tree.  Hopefully fairly safe and straightforward (fingers crossed).  Best start reading up on it... unless anyone here has advice on how to grow and train a fan shaped plum tree?  ;)

against a wall?-put in some vine eyes,stretch wires between them. Put in canes to train the young growth onto-and be patient-it takes a couple of years.

Stephan

Wivvles,

What's the attraction of a single tree, are you short of space?

If not then 3 differnt varieties on the right rootstock for each, and capable of pollinating each other, is a better (and possibly cheaper) answer.

Unless the 3 varieties on the family tree are equally vigorous then it will be unbalanced in terms of growth

Phil

Quote from: philcooper on March 01, 2005, 14:54:52
Wivvles,

What's the attraction of a single tree, are you short of space?

If not then 3 differnt varieties on the right rootstock for each, and capable of pollinating each other, is a better (and possibly cheaper) answer.

Unless the 3 varieties on the family tree are equally vigorous then it will be unbalanced in terms of growth

Phil

In the garden, yes, I am short of space (not to mention money....), which is why I was originally considering the option of a family tree.   However, I found an earlier thread on here where someone came up with the same point as you have made regarding the unbalanced growth.

I'm pretty sure that she'll be happy with her plum tree, I think we'll leave the apples until next year when I've worked out where I can fit them down the allotment!!!

Wivvles, the Ken Muir site has a whole bunch of PDFs, and on the one for growing Peaches I think it is, it tells you how to fan-train a fruit tree. Might be shown on the sheet for growing plums even  :P

I think a plum tree is a great idea.  The plums I've bought in shops are hard and tasteless.  Thin skins and juicy fruits just don't transport and keep well enough I guess.  Nothing like a tree-ripened plum IMO.   Must get one myself !

Shop-bought apples on the other hand can be fine (if buying in season and you have a reasonable variety selection).

Quote from: Moggle on March 01, 2005, 17:16:27
Wivvles, the Ken Muir site has a whole bunch of PDFs, and on the one for growing Peaches I think it is, it tells you how to fan-train a fruit tree. Might be shown on the sheet for growing plums even  :P

Thanks Moggle - I have downloaded both the peach one and the plum one!  Anyone care to take a wild guess at Saturday's first job?  ;)

i vote for digging :)

If you're short of space I'm a bit surprised by a plum tree!!??

Our in bloom group got an overgrown allotment but with a small plum tree on it.  It was a mess, never pruned and had been burned!  It showed signs of life though so we gave it a trim and aerated the soil round its roots and put a bit of the ashes from our fire around it.  We had loads of plums off it the same year.  it was groaning with fruit.  We picked it and the plums were delish.  Very juicy and sweet.  Very soon after though the wasps took it over and we couldn't get near it after that.  it looks like a top grafted tree on a relatively dwarfing rootstock so probably was quite expensive. 

As well as eating straight off the tree it made very good crumble as well  ;D

Quote from: Clayhithe on March 09, 2005, 19:26:17
If you're short of space I'm a bit surprised by a plum tree!!??

To be trained as a fan against the wall.  That space is currently wasted, so makes sense.

Quote from: wivvles on March 10, 2005, 07:57:25

Quote from: Clayhithe on March 09, 2005, 19:26:17
If you're short of space I'm a bit surprised by a plum tree!!??

To be trained as a fan against the wall.  That space is currently wasted, so makes sense.

Aaahhh...neat.

Can you give progress reports on this fan training?   My espalier apples worked well,  the cordon gooseberries were good;  but fan nectarine was horrible.