Stepover apples

[piskieinboots]

I have these included in my rough (new) garden plan, but as it's only very rough at this stage I haven't researched them yet. I will only be able to fit in about three along a path I think.

Has anyone got any recommendations?

Yes, I did use search but thought I'd try for some fresh ideas

[Jeanied]

I think Flum has some of these: I got inspired by her and one day I plan to use some on my plot too. They are soo expensive though, and I'd have loved to use some of the really cheap apple trees in Aldi and pruned them to be stepovers. Failure at this stage, cos I don't know how to do it.

[Flummery]

You need something on a seriously dwarfing rootstock. I bought them ready 'step-overed' but you can buy them as maidens and train them yourself (now, now lads!).
Mine came from Highfield Nursery. I ordered one ready done and one maiden but they didn't have a maiden in the variety I ordered so they sent me (after checking by email) 2 step-overs for the price I originally paid. Excellent service.

[Jeanied]

Good site, Flum - but at £33 a pop I may have to return to plan B and learn how to graft!
I know they have some great examples at Wisley Piskie.

[FB.]

Stepovers are low yielding and require much more care and attention than other apple forms.
Due to the weak rootstocks required to keep them small, they will not tolerate drought, poor soil or neglect. They will also not easily recover from damage.
Although the really dwarf rootstocks (e.g. M27) are recommended; for most soils, I'd personally consider a slightly stronger rootstock, such as M26.
It will be more vigorous, but that will be useful to recover from injury or disease. It will also be less prone to drought stress. You can reduce excess growth of M26 by less nitrogen feeding.
On a really poor soil, MM106 would be usable for a stepover, or you could use MM106 for the really slow growing varieties. On a really fertile soil, the very dwarf M27 or M9 rootstocks will be OK. M9 is larger than M27, but M9 has very brittle wood and roots that easily snap under stress.

Careful choice of variety will make them more suitable. Bramley (and certian other varieties) is definitely not suitable, on account of its very vigorous nature, its reluctance to produce many side branches and its part-tip-bearing nature.

I would suggest M26 rootstock with varieties such as Egremont Russet, Winston, Bountiful, Discovery, Crawley Beauty, Court Pendu Plat, Grenadier, Reverend Wilks.

[Flummery]

Mine are Egremont Russet and Charles Ross. Both fruited for the first time last year - good yield and fantastic flavours. I generally don't eat apples, I find them indigestible, but these were gorgeous. (I did peel them - that helps digestion in my case).

[FB.]

When I referred to stepovers as "low yielding", I meant on a per plant basis.
Stepovers are expensive and demanding, considering the total number of apples they produce, when compared to a bush or tree.
But if you want them for decorative purposes, that's up to you.