[Jeff Glanrhyd]

I'm thinking about buying a cooking apple tree and also a damsen and plum tree.
Can anyone advise on varieties and when is the best time of year to plant ?
Many thanks.

[Trillium]

Can't advise on varieties as mine will be totally different from yours, but if you get potted trees, you can plant them anytime. Bare-rooted trees survive better with winter planting. So if you're keen to start, get potted trees and start digging. And in the first year, pick off all fruits so the energy goes back into plant growth and next year's harvest will be better.

[Yorkie]

I'm not familiar with varieties either, but just to flag up that you need to make sure that either the apple is self-pollinating or that there are other trees nearby which will pollinate it.  Apples fall into a number of pollinating groups and you need to have certain groups or they don't coincide with pollinating.

[gillie]

The best time to plant bare root trees is over the winter, but you could get them in now if you hurry and can source the right varieties.

For a cooking apple we grow Howgate Wonder, which has huge fruits and in my opinion is a better bet and easier to manage than the inevitable Bramley but the pollinator criteria mentioned by another poster apply.  However as long as there are other apple trees around your area you will probably be ok.

For damsons there is not much choice.  Merryweather is the usual one sold.

For a plum how about good old Victoria which is self fertile.

Gillie

[Jeff Glanrhyd]

Many thanks.....I'd better get moving then!