Pollination partner for Gala apple

[WendyC]

I'm tempted by the offer on the cover of this month's magazine. I don't have any other apple trees in the garden other than a well established crab apple, which from an internet trawl have discovered could be a suitable pollinator.
I have established that Gala is group 4, and my crab apple, "Gorgeous" is very late season. I can't seem reconcile the two pieces of information. Would they be flowering at the same time?
Also how close would they have to be to allow successful pollination? The tree is at the bottom of the garden and my patio at the top, about 30' apart. I could put the pot at the bottom of the garden but I'm terrible at remembering to water at the bottom of the garden! Perhaps I'd just need to move it at flowering time?
Thoughts welcome.

[Matt94]

do you have another apple tree on your road wendy???

[WendyC]

Not that I am aware of in my immediate neighbours.

[orangepippin]

The crab-apple will pollinate your Gala tree, and in any case Gala is partially self-fertile.

[WendyC]

Thank you. I might go ahead and order.

[Rhoda]

Advice on Gala Apple Tree

I am completely new to growing apple trees. I am very tempted to have a shot at growing the one offered in the magazine.

I have had a quick look on the internet...

Do I need another apple tree in my garden? I've read that this variety is partial self pollinater, do this mean I will still get apples just not a large yeild as I do not have another apple tree?

Any advice would be great. This is only my second year of growing. Grew a little last year as a trial in containers and most worked out well.

[veggiechicken]

Hi Rhoda - does this thread help you?http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ple_69769.html

[Rhoda]

Thanks veggiechicken, I did read that but didn't seem to answer everything. What does group 4 mean? Could I still have an apple tree in my garden without having another? There is a crab apple tree about a five minute walk from my house but apart from that no idea what are in the neighbours gardens. Would the crab apple be close enough? I am a complete "I know nothing about apple trees" person so any advice would be great.

[orangepippin]

I don't think you will have a problem with Gala, which is partially self-fertile anyway. In most parts of the UK there are plenty of apple trees and crab apples nearby (the bees will know even if you don't).

The worst that can happen is that you get blossom but no apples, in which case you will need to plant a second tree of a compatible variety (which need only be a very small tree, a bit of pollen goes a long way). However, as I said, I don't think it will come to that.

Flowering group 4 refers to the period between early April to the end of May when Gala flowers. It can only cross-pollinate with other varieties which are flowering at the same time - obvious when you think about it. Most apples flower in the middle of the season (group 3 or 4) so there is no issue here in the case of Gala.

[Rhoda]

Thank you very much for your reply! Completely understand the group 4 bit now. There is a wooded area near me with more than one crab apple tree. Think I will go ahead and buy the tree to see what happens. It's a good saving so might as well give it a go.

Many thanks

[WendyC]

Did anyone else order this tree? Has it arrived? I did and the delivery was "by end of February" so in the next 6.5 hours then...

[Rhoda]

Nothing yet.... I've heard delivery with that company is slow so I'm aiming for the end of March so if they tree arrives before then it's a bonus

[WendyC]

I rang at the end of last week, 1st to be precise, and it was confirmed that trees have not been sent out yet due to the bad weather but would be in tthe next couple of weeks.
I would have thought cold was ideal to transport dormant plants. Just hope it doesn't get warm quickly like last March.

[FB.]

It is possible that adverse weather has delayed lifting of bare-root trees.
I only just got around to finishing my own planting/transplanting/pruning which I started in December because the ground had been so soft and slippery as a result of never-ending rain.
The unusually heavy ground this winter certainly made it more difficult to lift trees without damaging the roots, since great clumps of heavy soil will cling to the roots and may be so heavy as to break off the root when lifted.
When the soil dries out a little (as it has in the last week) it becomes more crumbly and the roots lift more easily without as much damage.

I also have a suspicion that trees lifted when the ground is heavy may be more prone to fungi invading the damaged roots - especially phytophthora (crown and root rot fungi) which thrive in heavy soils. Sometimes phytophthora infects broken-off roots, while at other times it infects where a tool has scuffed the roots during lifting (don't we all scuff the odd potato or parsnip when lifting our veg, or is it just me?) and sometimes it will infect burrknots.
Some rootstocks will recover, but others - such as MM106 - are more easily overwhelmed by fungal attack of their wounds.

[WendyC]

Good point. I hadn't thought about the lifting part , just the transporting.