Family trees on group 9 rootstock

[krazy_krok]

Hi all,

I want some family fruit trees for next year and don't have much experience growing them. I've chosen 3, cherry, apple and plum and they are on group 9 rootstock. I think this is a dwarf rootstock, so would they grow best in a container if so hows best to do this?

Or at the allotment I've got a bed 6m x 75cm that had a lot of rotted manure added in the spring, all I've got to do to prepare it is dig in the roots of the legumes that grew there this season. Also this bed already has two 4x4 post 2.4m in length at either end of the bed so could these help support train it? I was going to grow grapes and blackberry's up some wires here but they can wait if this site is best. There's other place i can prepare at the lottie if these supports are no good, not sure how tall they grow or how best to train them.

All advice greatly appreciated,

KK

[FB.]

M9 is a dwarfing apple rootstock - it won't be used for other fruits. You'll need to find out the other rootstocks.

While M9 is OK for small-medium bushes in gardens with average to good soil, I don't regard it as rugged enough for the rougher life on an allotment - unless it is grafted with a vigorous variety - such as Blenheim, Bramley, Laxton Superb, Tydeman's Orange, Winter Gem to name just a few.
M9 is definitely not suitable for poor or dry sites unless you give it lots of care.

M9 has a fairly small, slow-growing root system that has a cork-like consistency of the wood and easily snaps and uproots under wind stress.
The weak roots don't compete well against grass or weeds and are also prone to breakage in stormy weather, exposed positions or even with a heavy and unbalanced fruit load.
Having a stronger variety helps improve nutrient and water competitiveness against weeds. But still it should not be allowed to grow unbalanced or it will fall over or break off at ground level.
Permanent staking would get around the stabililty problem.

For container growing, I would use M27 for strong growing varieties and M26 for weak growing varieties - and regulate their growth by summer pruning and adjustments to their feeding and watering.
The tendency of M9's roots to snap is a real deterrent to using it, unless permanently staked or grown in a careful shape in a sheltered location.

The final size of a fruit tree varies enormously with location and is considerably affected by:

The variety grafted onto the rootstock.
The quality of the soil.
The amount of rainfall.
Local climate - length and temperature of your winter/spring/summer.
Pests.
Diseases.
Pruning - and the time of year that it is pruned.

With everything above being "average", I would expect about 6ft height and spread in about 10years.
On nutritious soil, with plenty of moisture, no pruning, no problems with pests and diseases, a long growing season and a vigorous variety, you might reach 10ft.
In poor conditions, it might struggle to survive and would barely grow at all.

[krazy_krok]

Thanx for your reply, think I may have read it wrong. They're from J parkers and there dual trees. Said group 9 but think that may be there group for the offer so not sure on what rootstocks they're on

KK

[BFG]

I went for m26 when I got mine.

I think I'd always go for slightly more vigorous than required. That way you don't need to worry so much about weeds, close planting, watering etc.

[FB.]

Yes, better to go for slightly more vigorous than you think, rather than slightly less vigorous.
Having a plant that is slightly more vigorous is beneficial when nature puts it under stress - drought, weeds, pests, diseases, poor weather and so on.
In good years, they might need some extra pruning, but summer (July) pruning can keep apple tree size under control - and make them more fruitful.

I have some hazels (own roots) including the strong-growing Cosford Cob. It makes 2-3ft of growth per season on a poor, dry, shallow soil. But careful summer pruning of the strongest shoots keeps it's size down to 6ft and each year, it's tendency to grow diminishes as on the weaker shoots remain. Weak shoots tend to be more horizontal, grow slower and produce more crop.

Upright shoots are vigorous and unproductive - useful to increase the size of your tree's main structure, but only once they start to branch, will the side branches grow horizontal and become productive.

[BFG]

Interesting stuff.

I've got some Hazels. They're growing along/up a huge wall which forms one boundary of my garden. I want them to cover the whole thing (guess 20' high), but not protrude too much and be as productive as possible. Do I just cut outward growing branches and leave the rest alone to grow up and along?