Fruit Tree Availability?

[broadway]

Hi Folks,

Can someone tell me when the likes of Wilkson Lidl etc get the fruit trees in? Added to that are they any good or is it a question of you pay for what you get?


Many Thanks..............Broadway (Danny)

[Carl]

I think they get them in the spring, I bought a conference pear from wilkinsons which has givn 8 pears in it's 2nd year in a pot - the only problem is that you don't know what the rootstock is and obviously there's a lot less variety. I recently looked through a proper fruit tree catalogue with an unbeleivable selection - I just want to grow them all!

[broadway]

Thanks Carl,

I know what you mean, I made a list from the T & M catalogue and it came to £110 hence the cheapo question!

[Seahorse]

Some Lidl's will have fruit bushes and trees from this saturday (27th). There's a thread with a bit more info here:

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...highlight=lidl

Claire

[SueA]

As Seahorse says Lidl have some fruit trees on offer this Saturday 27.10.07. I bought a 'Stella' cherry tree off them earlier this year & am growing it in a pot & it seems fine. I think you do take a chance with them though but for £3.99 I think it's worth a go.If you want to be sure of the variety, get a good size specimen & guaranteed results though you may end up spending £25-£35 from specialist supplier so it depends on whether you have the 'cash to splash' I suppose.

[veg4681]

You could note all your choice of variety of fruit bushes/trees from the online suppliers (T&M aren't the only ones, there's Buckingham & Blackmoor nurseries) and then see if they have these varieties in the Wilko, Lidl, Aldi, Woolworth, Poundstretcher etc. If they do, then buy off them and those that they don't, get from specialist suppliers. Like the Stella cherry that SueA mentioned, it's very good value for money.

You have to remember that there is a possibility that the bushes are cheaper because they're not as big/old as the specialist ones = longer wait for decent crops. I know that stuffs like currants and raspberry can be as cheap as £1 but I'd personally still pay over £3 more for the specific variety that I'm looking for. A fruit variety with the wrong taste (e.g. too taut, sour, sharp) is no use to me. So do your homework.

[Snadger]

With 'bare rooted' plants it pays to purchase them soon after they come into the shops a) To get a better choice and b) to get them watered and into there final growing position as quickly as possible, giving the plants a much better chance of growing!

[Carl]

Just like to agree wholeheartedly with snadger - also hardening off for plants bought in spring etc as supermarkets are a very unnatural environment.

[Peter]

Much better to go to someone like Keepers Nursery at http://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk/ an excellent website with advice guidance etc AND a superb choice of trees.

A maiden tree on M27 rootstock, semi-dwarfing, is £14.50 + £1.50 per tree (minimum delivery charge £12.00)

A maiden tree is malleable, it is essentially a one year old whip, so YOU train and prune it into the shape you want.

[Snadger]

I know that bare rooted trees are cheaper to produce and are lighter without their soil ball so are cheaper to store and deliver.............BUT.................I still prefer a bare rooted tree, planted at the appropriate time, as opposed to an expensive potted version, which theoretically can be planted at any time of the year!......... Why? you may ask................. well, in my view the field grown plant hasn't been starved of nutrients,hasn't wanted for water and hasn't got a rootball that's been three times round the inside of the pot! It's had it's tap root broken as well which will allow it to grow a stronger secondary root system!

Probably a flawed argument for buying cheaper bare rooted specimens, but it justifies the ample savings to be made in my book!

[broadway]

Thanks again folks for the advice given