Newby

[Mrs pyro jax]

Hi everyone
My name is Mrs pyro jax or just jax for short. I am new to this forum and not too sure what I'm doing so please forgive me if I get it wrong. I love gardening and growing my own fruit and vedge, but by no means am I an expert. My wonderful father in law has always given me advice. Unfortunately he passed away not long ago and I inherited his prize pear tree, apple tree and a fig tree. He lived down south and I live up north and was told by some people that they won't survive here. I am terrified I'm going to kill off his trees so I am going to need lots and lots of advice from you all. Thank you.

[nickdub]

I'm sure the trees are capable of surviving in the North no problem - whether they can or will crop as well as they did further south is a different question.

You don't say as much, but do I take it that the trees are in containers and that you have already moved them ?

[Small pumpkin]

Welcome to the vine .

Sorry I can't help with fruit trees. I'm clueless

[self-contained]

Hello

I managed to keep a (very tiny) fig tree alive in Liverpool a few years ago - I even got some fruit. It was small enough it come come inside during the winter though (and died when I left it in the care of y mother for a while). My boss has a productive fig tree in South Yorkshire. It's probably in a pretty sheltered spot, but it manages outside all year. Do you know what varieties any of the trees are?

[Jay-ell]

Hello and welcome to the vine.

Not too sure that I can help but I have a couple of question that might help others give you better information.

Where abouts Up North are you based? Where about down south have the trees been growing?

Do you know anything else about the trees - do you know their varieties? Are they in pots or in the ground and how mature are they?

Who was it who said that they won't survive up north? Someone from Up North or someone from Down South?

The apple and pear trees will probably survive up north - the fig might need a bit extra care e.g. wrapping in fleece or bringing into somewhere like a greenhouse in winter. Depending on the variety they might prefer it further down the country when it comes to fruit production.

I'm in Newcastle and have 7 apple, 2 pears and 2 figs. All are quite young and have survived a couple of winters outside with no protection on the allotment.

[Mrs pyro jax]

My fruit trees

Hi everyone

Ok so here is a little more info on my inherited fruit trees.

When I saw them in Devon last August the apple and pear tree were full of fruit, not sure about the fig tree as I didn't really pay much attention to it to be honest. In the November they got moved to where I live in Manchester. By this time they were completely bare, not even a single leaf on them.

Not sure how old they are but they seem to be well established and they are all in pots.

The pear tree is about 7ft and I believe is a conference. It blossomed about 2 months ago but no fruit.

The apple tree is about 5ft. It has blossomed and now has some apples although it has dropped quite a few. Im not sure what variety it is but the base of the trunk is rounded with the thick roots coming from it. I'm guessing this is an indication that it needs repotting.

The fig tree is a wide fan shape about 4ft high. It has some leaves but seems to drop them as new shoots are appearing at the top.

The person who said they won't do too well in Manchester came from Devon. Personally I think he wanted them himself.

I'm not sure if I should repot them and when I should be pruning them.

Your help and advice Will be gratefully appreciated

Thank you 🙂

[SarrissUK]

Hi and welcome to the vine!

No advice on the fruit trees, sorry

[Jay-ell]

Manchester - Ah, the south then

Yeah, I recon that he had his eye on them too.

Are there any other apples or pears near you - they'll probably need a pollination partner to get a decent or even any fruit.

Have you fed them? If they're in pots then they'll need to be kept fed and watered. Apples seem to have a "June Drop" when they shed some of the apples. It's also considered good practice to this the fruit so that you get less but larger apples.

Figs can be heavy feeders and are pretty thirsty trees - that could be why it's dropping it's leaves. Figs don't need pollination partners - in fact the only thing that could actually pollinate a fig is a fly that doesn't live in the UK. Luckily they'll produce fruit without pollination. To get fruit you have to pinch out the tips of this years growth around mid June after they've for about 5 leaves. The figs will be produced in the leaf joints on this years growths. If you look in the leaves you'll see one or two little bumps. The first in the next new shoot that will grow and the second is the fig.

[veggiechicken]

Hi Jax and welcome. When you said you were in the North I thought it would be the Faroe islands - on that scale, Manchester isn't very north at all.
I'm sure your trees will be fine once they've settled down. Are there any other fruit trees nearby as the apple and pear may need a pollinator, although Conference pears are self fertile, I think. .
The fig will need a sheltered wall or fence to grow against, preferably south facing where they can take advantage of the sun.
Don't worry too much about them, fruit trees are tough things and, as long as they have plenty of water in this hot weather, they should cope.

[Mrs pyro jax]

Hello

I have read about needing another pear tree to pollinate, not sure if there are any around here. I don't actually recall there being any where my father in law lived either, although I didn't really go round checking the neighbors gardens out so there might well have been because the last time I saw the pear tree at his place it was absolutely covered in pears.

He used to feed the trees with tomatoe feed when he fed his tomatoes, would this be surfitient or would you recommend anything different.

Thanks for the info on the fig tree I will give that a go and I feel much better now knowing it's a normal process for the apple tree to drop some of its apples, I thought it was something I was doing wrong or not doing at all 🙂

[Lumpy]

Hello
Sorry it’s so late but a trumpeting welcome from me as well.