Apple cordon varieties for Gloucestershire

[nickdub]

I especially bought an Opinel knife and grafting wax and everything... 0% success rate. I thought I lined it all up correctly. Obviously not!

In the ideal world you need someone to show you first hand how to do it - the people in you-tube vids are clearly professionals and whip through stuff on a peace work basis at about 200 grafts per hour so its a practice makes perfect thingy.

The other problem is timing, as usual with gardening the weather is a factor - Early Spring is a bit on the vague side.

[Randommoose]

I got trees!


From left to right:
Topaz
Ashmead's Kernel
Red Sentinel Crab apple
Saturn
Discovery

[Randommoose]

Other than the crab apple they are two year trees with side shoots. I told the nursery that I wanted them for cordons so they found me suitable ones which I am pleased with. They are on M26 which had good roots. All grown organically on similar soil to mine so should do fine in my conditions.

The Ashmead's Kernel has a weird looking graft so I have planted it extra high to try to make sure the scion doesn't root. I'm not quite sure about it but it was raining and I was tired so maybe it is normal.

[nickdub]

look like good trees, and a professional job on the supports - I think I'd leave them as you have them for the next growing year to see how they go - if my guess is right I think you'll find the Ashmead will be a strong grower, if so I'd suggest moving it next year from where it is a bit further to the left of the other trees to give it a bit more room - possibly some of the other trees could do with spacing a bit further apart too - obviously the more light and air you can give your trees, the easier it is to keep them healthy.

PS a mulch of some kind put on say next April, will cut down on the amount of watering needed.

[Randommoose]

Hi,
Thanks for that Nick. The instructions I was working to said 60cm apart for M26 rootstock but if that is too close then I can move them wider apart. Doing the supports took more time than planting the trees! I wired up the whole side fence as I'll be growing some soft fruit and climbers there too. I've already put on a mulch of well rotted compost and have the option of bark/shredded wood too.

As well as the Red Sentinel crab apple in the middle of those cordons I have also just planted an Admiration crab apple in an ornamental bed (it is on MM106 but very weak growing so only expected to make about 2.5m tall).

My 2 apple trees in the front garden are only just losing their leaves now. The nursery I got these cordons from said it has been very late leaf loss and wasn't ideal as they were still in leaf (I got them planted immediately to ensure they didn't dry out at all). The Ashmead's Kernel, Red Sentinel and Discovery still have leaves on today. My plum trees lost their leaves ages ago.

[nickdub]

I'd say 60 cm is a minimum distance - I don't grow cordons myself so I may be wrong, but my feeling is that the trees will be easier to manage and healthier with more space between them.

I don't think the late leaf fall will make any difference to the trees - the main thing was to get them in the ground when you did - been frosty here the last couple of nights so I wouldn't do any more planting now - best bet for my money is to leave all the trees where they are now until next October, unless you have any more bare rooted ones yet to be planted of course.

[devonuk]

look like good trees, and a professional job on the supports - I think I'd leave them as you have them for the next growing year to see how they go - if my guess is right I think you'll find the Ashmead will be a strong grower, if so I'd suggest moving it next year from where it is a bit further to the left of the other trees to give it a bit more room - possibly some of the other trees could do with spacing a bit further apart too - obviously the more light and air you can give your trees, the easier it is to keep them healthy.

PS a mulch of some kind put on say next April, will cut down on the amount of watering needed.

Well... above ground, you would probably be ok with the spacing if these were branches on the same tree - the tiers on my espaliers are closer than that. Below ground it's about rootstocks and soil quality. I have planted six apple cordons on mm106 at 60cm in rather grotty clay and they did absolutely fine (at least they did for 3 seasons, then I moved house!)