Peach or Nectarine?

[JimmerG]

Now I know its a case of personal preference - but I like them both...

I have a south facing shed wall - and i want to 'fan' a fruit tree up it. I live in Bristol so we get sun everynow and again.

The soil is a bit heavy but I can solve this with manure, and improved drainage.

Can anyone tell me if either Peaches or Nectarines are easier/more successful in the British climate.

If you had the choice - which would you grow?
OR are they both a bit of a long shot - should I be thinking of something else?
A fanned plum maybe, would that be more succesful?

J

[FB.]

Plums would be fairly easy.
Peaches would be moderately difficult.
Nectarines can be very difficult.

Those fruits won't mind fairly heavy soil, so long as there's not standing water for days on end.

Cherry would be worth consdiering - on a very dwarfing rootstock. Against a wall, it'll be easy to net cherries from the bird attacks.

Maybe an outdoor grape?

Or you could go for a pear or apple espalier.
Pears are about as easy or difficult as plums. Apples are the easiest - just don't buy a variety that is available from shops, because they're dependent on heavy spraying to keep them healthy!

Certain types of fruit tree might need a pollination partner, so bear that in mind.

I grow apples, pears, plums, grapes, currants, blackberries & hazelnuts - but I won't get involved with peaches/nectarines as they're far too much trouble. Leaf curl is a big problem, so is pollination - and so is pest damage.
Cherries just end up feeding the birds, although when trained against a wall, it's easier to net them.

[JimmerG]

Thanks FB,

This is exactly what I needed to know.

Reckon I'll go for a fanned plum..... do you think I need to get a particular type - or do they all lend themselves to 'fanning'?

I suggested grapes to Mrs G... but she said I'd only end up making dangerous and undrinkable wine. She has a point.

J

[FB.]

If you have plenty of moisture in the ground, I suggest a variety that won't grow too strongly and regulate it's growth by addint more or less nutrients.
In damp soils, stronger-growing varieties will grow too much and you'll just end up fighting the tree; it'll want to grow and you'll want it to fruit. Neither of you will win that battle!
There are many good plum varieties. Some plums are both eaters and cookers, but a dual-purpose plum will not be as good as a dedicated eater or a dedicated cooker. Perhaps consider the time of year that you want the fruit. Some plums are ready in August. Some ripen in October. Not many will keep for more than a few days after picking unless you turn them into jam.
I'd also look for one that is partially self-fertile. Plum trees are not very common these days, so you may need the degree of self-fertility to set a decent crop.

[JimmerG]

Thanks for your help FB.

I think we're going to go for a Green Gage, probably on a smallish root stock so it doesn't scramble out of control.

Do reckon I should go for a bare root tree, aor get on in a pot - does it make any difference - bearing in mind I'll plant it sometime in the next 4 months.

J

[FB.]

Bare-root will be cheaper and if your soil is moist, it should easily re-grow roots next year - but don't fruit it too hard for a couple of seasons while it re-grows the roots it lost when it was dug out of the nursery. Don't be surprised if it doesn't appear to grow much; it will be growing roots for a year or two and might not want more leaves that it's roots can't support.

I don't recommend bare-root for poor or dry soils. For those soils, you need somewhat older, stronger, larger specimens with undamaged container-grown roots and spreading the roots around a 2ft wide planting hole, filled with 50/50 soil and compost, is the best way to get trees established in poor soil.

[Autumn leaves]

Peach trees

I have three small peach trees two of which are growing along the walls of my house and these had peach leaf curl this year. The other one in a container did not and has now lost all its leaves.

I have sprayed this with Dithane as a precaution but am not sure of the best time to spray the other two. Most of the books and websites say after leaf fall but others say before the leaves fall.

I would like to know when is besat and if before leaf fall, do the leaves have to be drenched on both sides, or is it necessary only to wet the branches. These two are still pretty well covered in leaves.

Thanks for any answers.

[peanut]

Avalon Pride is a Peach Leaf Curl resistant Peach, suitable for UK climate....so they say!

[Autumn leaves]

Avalon Pride is a Peach Leaf Curl resistant Peach, suitable for UK climate....so they say!

Thanks for the advice. I don't intend to plant more but wish I had known this before buying mine.