I've just bought an M27 (dwarf) apple tree.

[Rob]

I've just planted it in a 40 litre pot, it's just a single stalk at the moment and it seems to be probably just over a meter in length.

What should I do with it? I've been looking through goggle images and some people say they should be pruned to encourage side branches. Have any of you got any advice?

Thanks!

Rob.

One more thing, do any of you know of a good online source of information about dwarf trees? I might buy a couple more (pear, plum, etc)

[Mcbee]

Try this post for supplers:-

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ees_25074.html

Can't really give you much advise on pruning - FB seems to be who you want to read this post! He'll (?) give you good advice - if no-one else replies!

I've jusy got a dwarf russet. It's not clear what the rootstock is, but the notes with it say that it doesn't need pruning to train it, just to sort out the branches etc. We'll see!

[Two_Sheds]

I have a dwarf Prince Albert Lane ... I have never bothered to prune it (never seem to have the time), and it produces more than a dozen big apples for me every autumn (and lots of smaller ones in the June drop that the birds enjoy)

[Nicos]

Here you go- this is useful to look at!

How and when to prune your Apple Tree with pictures.


Oh...and welcome to the Vine!!!

[FB.]

M27 is the perfect rootstock for apples in pots.
Plant it to the same level as it was at the nursery. If it's planted too deep, it will need to grow new "feeder roots" about an inch below the surface - which will take a whole season (or two!) and growth will cease until the feeder roots are grown.
I'd suggest filling the pot with equal parts of compost and topsoil from your garden, although most people would recommend just using compost. I hate pure compost because it drains and dries out quite quickly - and if it dries out, it has a tendency to shrink. Adding some topsoil seems to give better moisture retention and less shrinkage.
If you're using home-made compost, make sure that it is diluted with at least two parts topsoil (home made compost is very strong).
Make sure that your mini-tree it is kept well-watered, occasionally fed, and has a change of compost every couple of years.

For pruning, decide at what height you would like the lowest branches to form and cut the top off, just above a bud. Certain varieties will quite happily branch without needing to be pruned. What variety have you bought?

I would suggest that the lowest branches are created (or allowed to grow) at about 1/4 to 1/3 of the final desired height (so if you want it to be 1.5m final height, form-up the first branches at 35-50cm), for a nicely proportioned mini-tree.
But......if you cut off less than 1/3 of a branch or stem, it may well not branch at all. After pruning, the topmost bud will usually try to continue the direction of growth. The second and third buds will form good, sideways-growing branches. But to get three buds to grow (one will go up, two will make branches) will usually require cutting back by about half - and make sure that nutrients are plentiful.

M27 is very keen to fruit instead of grow and will easily become stunted. Once it starts fruiting, it can be difficult to make it grow again.
For that reason, fruiting should be kept to a minimum for the first couple of years - only allow a couple of fruits for a "taster". Cut off surplus fruits in late June.


Pears can be grown in pots on Quince C rootstock and plums on pixy rootstock. However, they are somewhat more vigorous than M27 rootstock and may be more troublesome. Plums (Pixy rootstock) and cherries will be at increased risk of canker and silver-leaf, which will enter through the pruning cuts that you will be required to make, to train the tree in it's early years.
The pear varieties "conference" and "concorde" are quite dwarf, self-fertile, and fairly trouble-free, so would be good on QC rootstock in a pot.

[Rob]

For pruning, decide at what height you would like the lowest branches to form and cut the top off, just above a bud. Certain varieties will quite happily branch without needing to be pruned. What variety have you bought?

Cox orange pippins.

I would suggest that the lowest branches are created (or allowed to grow) at about 1/4 to 1/3 of the final desired height (so if you want it to be 1.5m final height, form-up the first branches at 35-50cm), for a nicely proportioned mini-tree.
But......if you cut off less than 1/3 of a branch or stem, it may well not branch at all. After pruning, the topmost bud will usually try to continue the direction of growth. The second and third buds will form good, sideways-growing branches. But to get three buds to grow (one will go up, two will make branches) will usually require cutting back by about half - and make sure that nutrients are plentiful.

M27 is very keen to fruit instead of grow and will easily become stunted. Once it starts fruiting, it can be difficult to make it grow again.
For that reason, fruiting should be kept to a minimum for the first couple of years - only allow a couple of fruits for a "taster". Cut off surplus fruits in late June.


Pears can be grown in pots on Quince C rootstock and plums on pixy rootstock. However, they are somewhat more vigorous than M27 rootstock and may be more troublesome. Plums (Pixy rootstock) and cherries will be at increased risk of canker and silver-leaf, which will enter through the pruning cuts that you will be required to make, to train the tree in it's early years.
The pear varieties "conference" and "concorde" are quite dwarf, self-fertile, and fairly trouble-free, so would be good on QC rootstock in a pot.

Thanks for the information

[FB.]

I don't grow Cox's (disease can be a problem), but I'd say that it would probably be best to prune it to the level at which you want the lower branches to form.

[Rob]

M27 is the perfect rootstock for apples in pots.
Plant it to the same level as it was at the nursery. If it's planted too deep, it will need to grow new "feeder roots" about an inch below the surface - w

I think I made a mistake here. I planted it straight in to a bigger pot and it doesn't seem to be doing anythin. What should I do?

[HayleyB]

Sorry to hijack the thread Rob but...........

FB I would like to get some M27 dessert apples, what is the best to go for productive/sweetness wise?

Thanks

[FB.]

Hayley

My main consideration is always the disease resistance and the ability to thrive in my local conditions. I prefer not to spray and try to let nature take it's course.
Home-grown apples will be much sweeter than shop-bought specimens, since the orchards pick the apples before they're properly ripe.
Comparing my home-grown Discovery to several batches of shop-bought/market-bought Discovery last year, I concluded:

Mine were:
Small, very colourful, very flavoured, quite sweet = delicious to eat.

Shop bought were:
Large, very juicy, poorly flavoured, very bitter = not a nice experience.

The difference was so great that you would have thought that they were two completely different apples.

Before I give some suggestions, a few questions will help, since certain varieties are more suited to growing as certain shapes and on certain rootstocks or certain situations:

What makes you want M27 rootstock?
Where will they be grown?
If you'll be growing in the garden, are you on clay (or sandy) soil and what is the moisture retention like?
What shape will they be trained into?
Do you have a preferred season; summer, autumn, winter, spring?

One thing to consider would be a "family" tree - three main branches, with each branch being a different variety to cross-pollinate and provide a variety of fruit.

[HayleyB]

Gawd FB

We have three apples in the orchard at a guess a couple are coxes pippin or similar one Bramley they are huge, a couple of plum trees or three. Anyway the apples are so huge we have difficulty picking and rely on windfall mainly so I thought it would be nice to have some in pots for ease for once.

We're on clay but in pots that doesn't count.
M27 couse I want little trees for once
I was hoping to not train just let them branch with the odd prune
Summer would be good as the others are all autumn

[FB.]

A big problem with the earlies seems to be that many are partial tip-bearers, or slow to start fruting, which makes them a little less suitable for pots.

Discovery is probably the best of the earlies and has good all-round disease resistance and isn't too vigorous.

Grenadier is very disease resistant and a good, early cooker that should pollinate with Discovery.

James Grieve is an early dual-purpose apple that should also pollinate with the above two. Perhaps a bit too susceptible to canker, should the woolly aphids be allowed to cause stem damage.

[HayleyB]

So being a Landie fan Disco it is then

[FB.]

So being a Landie fan Disco it is then

You might need a pollinator, but if your orchard has one or more Cox's Orange Pippin, they'll pollinate the Discovery - and even if they're not, whatever is pollinating your Bramley should pollinate your Discovery.

[Rob]

I think I made a mistake here. I planted it straight in to a bigger pot and it doesn't seem to be doing anythin. What should I do?

Could you answer this please FB. Should the tree be starting to grow now?