Planning fruit section question

[Kate Robson]

Can anyone tell me what is the difference between hard and soft fruit? And why I've been told to keep them in two seperate sections?

Is there a layout for fruit that really works well? I'm hoping to plant apple, pear, plum and fig trees as well as raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb, redcurrants, blackcurrants and melon.

[nick the grief]

Can anyone tell me what is the difference between hard and soft fruit? And why I've been told to keep them in two seperate sections?

Is there a layout for fruit that really works well? I'm hoping to plant apple, pear, plum and fig trees as well as raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb, redcurrants, blackcurrants and melon.

Hard fruit is Apples & pears etc. Soft fruit is Blackberries, strawbs etc.

Your best bet is to get hold of a couple of books from the local libary Bob flowerdew did one on Fruit I'm sure or the Fruit Expert by Dr D.G. Hessayon. that will show you loads of different ideas.

The apples & Pears you can train in differnet styles to suit your situation, the plums are a fairly vigourous tree (can be kept small withthe right rootstock) but the Fig is best grown either in a V. large pot that you can move in & out of a greenhouse or keep it somewhere sheltered in winter so the rootball doesn't freeze or in a greenhouse & you can construct a pot in the ground out of 4 x 2' paving slabs & a load of builders rubble in the base. The idea is you restrict the roots to make it fruit or you end up with a massive tree & loads of green leaves.

The soft fruit can be grown in permanent beds apart from the strawbs & the melon. Raspberries are good for about 15 years same for currant bushes so give them space as they will fill it out!

The strawbs you grow in a bed & every year you'll get runners coming from them, root these in either pots or the ground then when they are rooted sver & plant them in a new bed. After 3-4 years get rid of all the old ones as they are prone to disease & you've already got their replacements growing.

The Melons are sown in the spring & are best grown in a greenhouse (you can get away with a coldframe at a push. & I think there are posts about htis on the vine already.

If you get the Fruit Expert it will be a good one to have & they only cost about £6 or £7 .

[Kate Robson]

Thanks Nick, I shall buy the Dr Hessayon Fruit Expect book. Thanks for all the other advice too, very helpful.

[Alice]

Thanks for the link and the pics Kate. I just love a nosey in anybodies garden/plot. That's why I'm on here. Looks good. Look forward to seeing what else you do there. Keep the pics coming. Some crackers on this forum.

[Kate Robson]

Thanks Alice
Glad you enjoyed looking at my allotment blog. The fruit section will be the next thing I'll tackle.