Minarette apples - how much space needed?

[wyvern]

Hi everyone.

I have a small space in my garden and would like to put an apple there - preferably two, but am worried about the space. It will have to be a minarette form, and I understand minarettes can be planted as close as 18inches apart, but am a bit doubtful - it seems too close!

The space I have is 2m by 90 cm, south facing, bordered on one side by a 6ft wooden fence, on the back by 3ft high wood panels topped with 3ft high decking balustrades and the third side by the decking staircase, so mainly balustrades with a triangle of solid wood at the bottom (hope you get this idea! ) The front is open.

How many trees can I put there, and any recommendations as to which ones? We want eating apples, straight off the tree, and I was looking at the Ken Muir 'Scrumptious' and/or 'Red Windsor'.

Any thoughts??
Tanks

[rustylady]

The Ken Muir site says minarettes can be planted as close together as 2 - 3 feet, so I think 18 inches would be pushing it.

Link to the site here Minarette Fruit Trees

[orangepippin]

So in effect you have 2m by 1m. That should be just enough for 2 dwarf apple trees on the M27 rootstock, or 2-3 cordons on the M9 rootstock. If it is south-facing then I would also be tempted to try training a fruit tree against the panels. If you want low-maintenance then the M27 apple trees are a bit easier as they won't need as much pruning and attention as the other forms.

[FB.]

If you choose the right rootstock for the soil, and avoid vigorous tip-bearing varieties like Bramley or Blenheim, and are prepared to spend a few minutes pruning at least once a year, then you can keep them almost as small as you like.

As orangepippin said: M27 (very dwarf) or M9 (dwarf) should be fine with one square metre each.
I'd go for M9 as it's noticably more vigorous than M27 and is surprisingly tough for a dwarf rootstock. The extra vigour of M9 over M27 would be useful to allow it to be grown with minimal spraying as extra vigour is necessary for "organic" and "spray-free" in order to fend of attacks from pests and diseases.