Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Willow_Warren on March 19, 2017, 08:18

Title: Mini Fruit trees?
Post by: Willow_Warren on March 19, 2017, 08:18
I wasn't sure where to post this, but what does anyone think of this offer / product?

My garden is relatively small but I really want some fruit trees, possible in the ground, but also quite easily in pots too (as I have a large decking area). I like option 2, but not checked pollination yet... But there are other fruit trees in surrounding gardens.

https://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/dwarf-patio-pillar-fruit-trees

Many thanks
Title: Re: Mini Fruit trees?
Post by: Lardman on March 19, 2017, 09:12
£4 a tree - unknown rootstocks and standard (supermarket) varieties, I don't think it's anything to get too excited about.

If you're looking for an instant fix it's ok but there are better ways to start a micro orchard.
Title: Re: Mini Fruit trees?
Post by: TheWhiteRabbit on March 20, 2017, 16:44
Have a read of the 'Grow a Little Fruit Tree' book by Anna Ralph. It's a fantastic book which is geared around summer pruning fruit trees to keep them small and manageable. She says that rootstock doesn't really make much difference as 'dwarf' can actually mean 'a third smaller than a normal, full size version'...so not exactly what most people would call dwarf.

If you're interested in small fruit trees, have a read of that book first and then decide on the varieties you'd like to grow.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grow-Little-Fruit-Tree-Ralph/dp/1612120547 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grow-Little-Fruit-Tree-Ralph/dp/1612120547)
Title: Re: Mini Fruit trees?
Post by: solway cropper on March 21, 2017, 21:23
I'd be very wary of buying cheap fruit trees. About 6 years ago I bought what was labelled as 'Plum-President' on a dwarfing rootstock. Turns out it's actually a damson on a very vigorous rootstock!!
Title: Re: Mini Fruit trees?
Post by: gobs on March 24, 2017, 21:30
£4 a tree - unknown rootstocks and standard (supermarket) varieties, I don't think it's anything to get too excited about.

If you're looking for an instant fix it's ok but there are better ways to start a micro orchard.

Read more carefully, it's a special offer.

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If you are a small family and short of space, it's a good idea. I, personally, would always go for in the ground, even if dwarfs and short of space. Less watering and feeding. Even a dwarf tree needs space. They would advise a min. 1 meter bare circle around it even in a lawn.

I would think, you wold be much better off with some espaliers, you can get a great deal of fruit from them.