Mini Orchard (Apple, Pear, Plum)

[orchardseeker]

Please can any of you offer me some advice/assurance.

I purchased a mini orchard (Brauburn apple; Conference Pear and Victoria Plum) from QVC in March and recieved the trees on 02/04. Did everything the instructions said "soak roots etc" and planted the trees in massive half barrels with blood fish and bone and watering thouroughly every second day.

As of 07/05 the victoria as sprouted lovely lush green leaves, but no signs of anything from the apple or pear. Should I worry or am I simply been impatient?

Thanks
Dean

[Migueli]

I planted a 2 year old Victoria and Conference about 1 month before yours. The Victoria has around 8 inch of new growth whilst the Pear has merely 1 inch or so.

[orchardseeker]

even in may/june is there still time for growth to start in my apple and pears tree maybe you planted yours at a more suitable time? I think all my trees are maidens?

[FB.]

My early apples began to open buds a month ago. Flowering is over and the shoots and leaves are growing strongly - many new shoots are about 6" long. Even my Crawley Beauty (probably the last English-grown apple to come out of winter dormancy) is in full flower and partially in leaf.

I would be starting to worry about your trees - especially the pear, which ought to come out of dormancy in March and flower in April.

Having said the above, some small mail-order trees are kept in giant controlled-temperatue fridges over the winter, rather than out in the field.
It means that the plants can be held dormant for longer - allowing a longer period for the mail-order trees to be sold and delivered.
That can upset their growing season for the first year. Sometimes it will cause them to leaf-out very late.
Give them until the end of May and if there's still no sign of the buds swelling, then contact the supplier.

[Migueli]

My Pear did nothing for 4 or 5 weeks but it's certainly growing now, although not as vigorously as the Plum or Cherry.

[amandaandherveg]

I bought a similar 4 tree offer from Ideal World in 2006. One of the apples died before I got it into the ground (my fault).

The following year I got a little growth and no blossom but this year all trees are blossoming and looking quite healthy - hopefully I'll see some fruit this year.

[orchardseeker]

Thank you all for your advice