Blackmoors BOGOF

[veggiechicken]

Blackmoors are selling 4 different pairs of apple trees - Buy one get one free at the moment £19.50. .Blackmoor Nurseries

EDIT Use code "Twitter" and get 10% off

[VirginVegGrower]

Wish I had more fruit tree room as their trees are great trees.

[chris]

I hope they pack their trees better than they do their strawberries. Mine were all out of the modules that they came in when delivered (admittedly it was probably the courier), but others I've ordered have always been strapped down. I don't mind as much as it's obviously less packaging and it was obvious the courier in this instance was a bit rough with them.

[Alison]

I've bought a few trees and soft fruit from them and they've always been brilliant with their quality and service, even e-mailing to tell me what day they'll arrive.

[mikedigitales]

The apple trees I bought from them this winter were very well packaged, I think the size of the box probably stopped the courier chucking it around

[FB.]

Worth mentioning that the size guides given by Blackmoor are only likely to be achieved in areas with plentiful rainfall and deep soil, or good allotment soils.

3-4 metres for M26? I'd struggle to get them to half that size even with heavy feeding, heavy watering and delaying cropping for ten years to encourage growth.
I need MM111-M25 for trees of that 3-4m size, which will take about fifteen years to get there.

If someone has a picture, of a M26 tree, growing in the UK, which isn't a Bramley or a Blenheim and which has reached 4m in 10-15 years, I'd love to see it.

[FB.]

Also worth noting that:

1. Braeburn can be prone to mildew in particular, maybe scab, and needs a mild climate to ripen properly. Egremont's disease resistance may be failing due to being widely grown (I lost an Egremont to a huge attack of canker early in 2012).

2. James Grieve and Jonagold have a variety of strains of disease which can attack them. Jonagold needs a mild climate to ripen properly.

3. Cox and Worcester have a variety of strains of disease which can attack them.

4. Sunset has some strains of canker which can attack it.

Basically, there all rather common, popular varieties which can be troubled by certain diseases, or are varieties not suitable for all parts of the UK.

If I were to take up the offer, I'd opt for number 4, as the trees are more likely to grow and crop well in a variety of locations.
I'd be tempted to ask (it doesn't hurt to ask, does it?) if they'd do a "two-for-one" pricing on a more useful pairing of varieties, for greater disease resistance and two different ripening times.

[Thelma Sanders]

Just a thought but - doesn't everything have diseases that can attack them - and have an optimum environment that you may not always provide

we'd never plant anything if we only planted stuff that's reliable disease free or would suit the local environment - how do you work that out when it's so changeable

Most of us work with the 'plant it and hope for the best' routine

[FB.]

Just a thought but - doesn't everything have diseases that can attack them - and have an optimum environment that you may not always provide

Nope.
I have varieties of apple tree which are virtually untouchable by the pests and diseases in my area.
I'd be more than happy to enter one of mine into a competition in unsprayed and less-than-ideal growing conditions to prove how rugged and disease resistant some of those old rare types really are in comparison to many modern types.

we'd never plant anything if we only planted stuff that's reliable disease free or would suit the local environment - how do you work that out when it's so changeable

Why would you willingly and knowingly plant something which may be troublesome or die and be a waste of money, unless it has a secondary purpose in acting as a decoy?
A disease-free tree produces more and better fruit.

Most of us work with the 'plant it and hope for the best' routine

I'm lazy; I plant trouble-free varieties and let them get on with it.

[FB.]

Basically: when I plant a fruit tree, I want it to be there for the next generation in a hundred years time; they may appreciate having been handed-down something useful.

My tree preferences are therefore that it needs to be vigorous, disease-resistant, pest-resistant, tolerant of less-than-ideal soil and climate, and tolerant of many years of neglect.

Most of my existing trees meet those requirements.

[legume]

My tree preferences are therefore that it needs to be vigorous, disease-resistant, pest-resistant, tolerant of less-than-ideal soil and climate, and tolerant of many years of neglect.

No no, don't sit on the fence: tell us exactly what you want.

Seriously, I do agree it is worth taking the time finding a plant/variety that is as strong and resistant to as many pests and diseases as possible and will cope - or even actively like - the specific growing conditions you've got. It can save years of battling to get something to grow against all the odds without it ever really flourishing (although 'growing against the odds' can be a fun challenge sometimes too!)

That said, I must confess to having been a member of the school of 'bung gardening' on several occasions. As in 'oh just bung it in and if it grows, it grows'.

[FB.]

No no, don't sit on the fence: tell us exactly what you want.

Seriously, I do agree it is worth taking the time finding a plant/variety that is as strong and resistant to as many pests and diseases as possible and will cope - or even actively like - the specific growing conditions you've got. It can save years of battling to get something to grow against all the odds without it ever really flourishing (although 'growing against the odds' can be a fun challenge sometimes too!)

That said, I must confess to having been a member of the school of 'bung gardening' on several occasions. As in 'oh just bung it in and if it grows, it grows'.

Looking at Blackmoor's whole stocklist, the least troublesome varieties to grow under semi-neglect British conditions are probably:

Annie Elizabeth
Ashmead's Kernel
Beauty of Bath
Bountiful
Discovery
Early Windsor
Grenadier
Irish Peach
Isle of Wight Pippin
Katy
Meridian
Reverend Wilks
Winter Gem

But certain regions would favour certain varieties over others, due to the soil and climate typical in those areas which increases or reduces the prevalence of certain pests or diseases.
Scab and canker are particular problems in wet Western areas. Mildew and woolly aphids are particular problems in the drier and milder East Anglian and South-Eastern areas.
Some of those varieties do well on heavy clay, while others do well on dry chalk. Most of them would be at their very best if given a rootstock which also does well in those conditions.

[Sylvan]

How long do they normally take for delivery? I recently bought some hedging from Buckingham and they took over a month!

[veggiechicken]

Don't know Sylvan. I've only had one order from them and that took 1-2 weeks over New Year - I have some rhubarb on order too but that less than a week. Ask them!!
Incidentally, they have more BOGOF apple trees - including Irish Peach that I've read about here so often!

[Sylvan]

Thanks vc