How big?

[madmum23]

I have just taken possession of 3 bush apple trees and a pear tree from T&M on M9 rootstock (Bramley, Cox's Orange Pippin and Braeburn) . I bought them on impulse, not really thinking about where I would be planting them. At the beginning of March, I was offered an allotment and now wonder whether I should plant them on site. I will be creating a number of raised beds on the 9m x 15m plot and wonder whether the trees will take up a lot of space (spacing 8ft - 10ft apart I believe) and if they will get too large for the plot.

Any help would be gratefully received.

P.s. also ordered 3 raspberry canes (Tulameen), a blackcurrant bush and 10 strawberry plants. OMG!

[FB.]

M9 is a versatile rootstock and can be kept at 3-4ft, or can be allowed to get as large as 6-8ft if conditions are good.
I have a Grenadier apple on M9. It's probably 6-7 years old and I have kept it at about 4ft height and 2ft spread. It only grows it branches by about 3-6" per year.
Summer pruning will keep it smaller and more fruitful. Winter pruning or no pruning will allow it to grow much larger. In the first year or two, it will be trying to establish, so summer pruning is not likely to be needed.
M9 is quite a water-hungry and nutrient-hungry rootstock. It grows best in fertile, moist soil (but not waterlogged!). Poor, dry/sandy soil is a death sentence for M9.
M9 roots are not very strong and are prone to snapping off when put under strain. Unless your apples will be grown in a sheltered spot, they will need staking, to prevent the trunk breaking off from the roots in windy weather when carrying a full fruit load.
M9 is particularly susceptible to woolly apple aphid (WAA). They will be seen as white, fluffy areas on the branches. Deal with WAA as soon as you see them (squash them!), or they will move throughout the tree (especially around pruning cuts) and eventually move to the roots, which turns the root system into a mass of tumour-like, marble-sized growths that stunt the tree.
On the plus side, M9 is often found to produce larger and better quality fruit - at a young age - than any other apple rootstock.

[madmum23]

Thanks FB. I think I will plant them on the allotment it is a lovely sunny spot with a clay soil. Did you add any manure or fertiliser to the soil prior to planting?

I just hope that the rain stops long enough for me to plant them. I will secure them with a stake as it is quite an open site.

Have a good Easter.

[FB.]

I tend to put manures and fertilisers on the surface in late winter and early spring. I use a mix of compost and soil for filling the planting hole. I use one part compost to one part soil if it's shop-bought compost, and I use one part compost to two parts soil if it's home-made compost.

[gojiberry]

MM23 make sure you check with the rules of your lottie before you plant your trees as ours do not allow the planting of trees. Also be careful where you plant them as they will cast a shadow and you need to make sure it doesn't interfere with neighbouring plots. Good luck with your trees and hope you get good crops in the future.

Ian

[madmum23]

Thanks gojiberry. I said to OH that I need to work out the path of the sun over the day and plant it near the middle of the plot so as not to cast a shadow on any other plot. I did notice that numerous plot holders have small trees planted so I believe it would be okay. I will just check the agreement though just in case.

[FB.]

M9 rootstock is about the same vigour as currant bushes, which are totally acceptable on many allotment plots.