Apple Tree

[WiZeR]

Well, Loads of ideas buzzing around in my head for the new allotment at the moment. Seeing as it's xmas and people are pestering me for present ideas, I thought it might be nice to ask for an apple tree or 2. The thing is I know even less about fruit growing than I do veg growing.

I'd like at least one 'cooker' and one 'eater'. Are apple trees generally accepted on allotments? (as long as not causing too much shadow on a neighbour). How do I choose what tree to buy? I like to eat 'Golden Delicious' apples. If I buy a small tree, how long until it will produce fruit?

I don't have a wall to train it up so it would be free standing. The plot is NW facing but in a very open space.

Any help or pointer would be greatly apprecieated.

[Jaxom]

I am in a similar position. Starting out growing fruit and veg.
As I only have a small garden, I opted for a family tree that has three different apples grafted on to one rootstock. There will be two dessert apples types and one cooker on the tree. All angles are covered including the pollination of the tree. You often have to have two different type of apple in flower at the same time if you want to get any apples later in the year.
Jax

[andrewo]

Methods

You can use tree to screen part of your plot. I would suggest that you get a few varieties and make sure that they are self fertile.

The beauty with trees is that they can be grown in a small space either as a espalier:

cordon:

Belgium Fence (personal favourite):

Or as a Palmette of U Cordon:

There are positives to training a tree is that you can get them in a smaller space and harvesting/polinating by hand is easier.

I have on order at the moment Hillburn, Braeburn, Gala, Cox, Bramley and I have a Elizabeth. These will all be trained over an arch towards my front door and kept to the size of the arch (7').

You don't need a wall to grow them against and they can seperate plots up into 'rooms' and are good wind breaks if combined with lines of gooseberries and currants.

Hope this helps.

Andrewo

[WiZeR]

Thanks Guys. I have been spending some time researching this. Shame you have to wait 2yrs for the first sign of fruit.. but worth it in the long run

[Lottie]

I have on order at the moment Hillburn, Braeburn, Gala, Cox, Bramley and I have a Elizabeth. These will all be trained over an arch towards my front door and kept to the size of the arch (7').

What a really good idea growing them in your front garden. I don't have the room in my back garden and don't want to plant them up the lottie as I am of mature years and don't know how long I will have it.

Where did you order them from - sounds like you did a bit of research.

What sort of framework are you using? How long a pathway do you need.

What sort of budget do you need?

It will take quite a bit of digging up of grass and persuading OH to let me do it, but it sounds great. I saw an apple arch at Castle Bolton and it was wonderful.

Just had to edit it, as the image I inserted did not work.

[andrewo]

Archways

Dear Lottie,
Just using bog standard tube steel arches and dwarfing stocks. It's a bit of an experiment, my six trees cost me £50 from the fruit and veg company and I have another two from marshalls.

I plan to have four to one arch (the arch is 2' in depth) and 7' high, 3' wide and will span the path for 6'.

Trees will be attached on each of the four corners and all the laterals pruned back to 7", the following year the secondary branches will be pruned back to 3" (basically it is a cordon). When the trees meet at the top I will have the choice of grafting together or just pruning off.

I saw a 12' walkway a few year back and they had roughly 24 varieties BUT you do have to keep it well pruned (twice a year).

I then saw it again on a Geoff Hamilton programme and thought I would try it, so I will let you know if it works, should be a smaller version of this:

Andrewo

[WiZeR]

I was given a 'Minerette' variety for xmas. It is a columnor type which doesn't branch out or grow above 6ft. It has 2 types of apple on the one rootstock. I think I'll buy 2 more Minarettes for desert apples and then an M27 for a culinary apple.

[Lottie]

That looks great Andrew - let us know how you get on..

I think I could try and manage a small version. I saw the real thing at Geoff Hamiltons garden a couple of years ago and it was wonderful - but it had been there for years though.

[WiZeR]

Well I was lucky enough to get an apple tree for xmas. Since xmas day it has been sitting in our conservatory (unheated). I was wondering if I should keep it outside in it's pot or leave it in the conservatory? How often should I water?

It will be a few weeks before I can plant it in the ground at the allotment.

[Jaxom]

If it was bought from an outside supplier, then keeping it in doors might bring it into premiture growth. If you have a sheltered outside area, I would advise putting it there until you can plant it at your alotment.
Jax

[WiZeR]

thanks, I will put it out on the deck and keep an eye on it.

[andrewo]

What variety?

What variety did veryone get? Does anyone know whether a pear can be cordoned? Will certainly let evryone know how the archway goes on. Will start to prepare the ground in february, plenty of soil and bonemeal.

Out of interest, I have really hard, compacted sub soil, does anyone know where I can get a metal rod/spike that I can drive in? I want to break it up but can't use a matlock (due to spinal problems and a digger is way to big).

Andrewo