Cordon Advice Needed

[andrewo]

As many of you know, I am doing a fruit tunnel and this means I will cordon the apples but does anyone know if you can cordon pears, plums or other fruit?

Andrewo

[Lesley Jay]

Yes you can grow apples, pears, plums, gages and damsons as cordons but not cherries which are best grown as minarette, pyramid or bush.

[nick the grief]

Yep, sure can.

Well Pears any way as I've seen them, but I don't see why you couldn't with other fruit. Have a look in the Fruit expert, I'm sure I've seen it there. I'd look myself but I think I've lent my copy to someone.

ntg

[nick the grief]

Ah I see you've poste before me LJ. You can grow Cherries as Espaliers (fan trained) so I would have thought you could do cordons, just won't get many/tree.

ntg

[Lesley Jay]

The Fruit Expert seems to favour bushes or fans for growing cherries.

[nick the grief]

I will bow to your knowledge LJ as I have neither the book or experience of growing cherries.... still never stopped me sounding off before

[Lesley Jay]

Nick I don't grow cherries - yet!!

[nick the grief]

I have to say that they are one fruit I've never bothered about. I keep thinking of a Fig, but I don't know what to do withem (cullanry wise)

[andrewo]

Figs, when I get them can be use as a jam and/or my favourite, cut them open at the top, almost all the way through so they are quartered, sprinkle with sugar, cook on a low heat and cover in greek yoghurt, honey or cream.

Now have to decide which to go for, a plum of a damson, will have to be self fertile whatever it is, so may go for a victoria plum.

[Dadnlad]

Andrew - from memory most damsons are self-fertile, and imo taste much better than plums

[andrewo]

I've gone with

I decided because the tree would be on a walkway that I wouldn't go for a damson because I didn't know enough about them, so I have gone for: Plum Thames Cross from
http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/rkm...CODE=1070-5728
They look like:

And have a heavy cropping tendency, which I want.

[nick the grief]

light at the end of the tunnel eh?

[andrewo]

Actually they will be halfway down the tunnel, a place t'stop off and suck a plum.