Can I ask about apple trees as well, please?!

[Likac66]

I've been reading previous threads on here about apple trees but haven't seen anyone else asking for the same as I want to ask about!

Anyway - I'm looking for a small tree - 5-6ft tall maximum. It will go in a pot at the end of some decking and would be in full sun for most of the afternoon in the summer.

I would like a sweet eating apple - something sweet like Pink Lady (which I know you can't get dwarf over here) or something crisp like Granny Smith.

Because I've only got room for one tree I know it needs to be self-pollinating and that's where I seem to be getting stuck when searching.

Am I searching for a Holy Grail - or is there something out there that will suit my needs?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions of possible trees and suppliers. Thank you!

[Likac66]

I have now found "family trees" with different varieties on the same tree. I am very tempted to try one of these.

[FB.]

Granny Smith, Pink Lady and many other shop-bought fruits are grown in countries with long, hot, sunny groing seasons. The UK is often too cool and dull, so the fruit can be small, green, sour and tasteless; they are a gamble except in the most favourable parts of the UK (the South coast and parts of East Anglia).
They might ripen adequately in other parts if grown against a sunny South-facing wall which gets sun almost all day. I have no difficulty growing a "greenhouse grape" (Black Hamburgh) against the sunny side of my house, although I am in one of the usually-hotter and usually-sunnier parts of the UK.

Family trees are OK, but take care that the varieties all grow about the same rate, otherwise one will try to take over. Bramley and other triploids will often grow much faster than the other parts, resulting in an unbalanced tree which needs regular heavy pruning to keep it in balance.

For rootstock, M27 is often recommended for pots, but I prefer M26 as it copes better with less-than-ideal growing conditions. If planted in garden soil, or a bit neglected, M27 is dependent on human care, but M26 can just about fend for itself.
A guide to rootstocks is here:
> link <
But note that size guides are for trees in the conditions stated; M27 will reach 4-6ft in good soil with no competition from other plants. In less-than-ideal conditions it will be much smaller. Similarly, M26 will reach 8-10ft in good conditions, but in lesser conditions, or with some pests and diseases to fight, or with occasional neglect, it may be half the size.

Good pruning at the right time can keep even the strong rootstocks at a manageabe size.
Prune in Dec-Feb to increase growth. Prune in July-August to decrease growth.

The very act of growing in a pot restricts the roots from spreading (in the same way as a fig pit), which reduces their ability to find nutrients.
For very small root systems like M27, they may take years to fill a pot anyway.
However, I've often found that - contrary to what "the books" say - a stronger root system often crops earlier and heavier than dwarfs, for the simple reason that the slow-growing roots of a dwarf can take years to grow large enough to fuel the tree's production of fruit.
So I would suggest M26 rootstock for most varieties, although some varieties are so vigorous or so slow-growing that they may be more suited to a different rootstock.
I would suggest a pot of at least 18" (45cm) diameter and 12" (30cm) depth.
The smaller the pot, the more cramped the roots and the less nutrients they can find, so the smaller the crop of fruit.

You may find some useful information on the following topic, where I also suggested a supplier and certain varieties for the topic starter to consider for their large pot:
> link <

[Likac66]

Thank you so much for your advice.

I knew I wouldn't be able to get Granny Smith or Pink Lady - just giving those as examples of apples I like. Anyway, I have gone for a "family" tree from Deacon Nursery. A twin of Egremont Russet and Lord Lambourne 2nd year on M26 rootstock.

Thank you for the advice. I will let you know how it does.