[FCG]

I have 5 fruit bushes and 2 trees from lidl... should i put them right in the ground now?

[richyrich7]

Yes I would, soil is still warmish and they will fair better planted rather than potted.

[FCG]

Thanks richy, i'l pop them in tomorrow. Anyone else partake of the offers at lidl?

[Janeymiddlewife]

Yup - I did -
mixed results - the blackberry had no roots and died - not a problem as there's loads literally across the road from me.
the 2 redcurrants look healthy enough and will be OK i think.
The 2 blueberries are a bit dodgy - 1 is not looking very healthy and had quite fragile roots, the other looks a bitbetter, is still green - both in the same pot of ericaceous compost.
They only cost £10, so as long as  the redcurrants survive I'll be happy.

[richyrich7]

Blueberries will do better in an acid compost, so go for a largish pot with an ericacious growing medium. I've read a drop of vinegar in the watering can will help acid lovers too.

[Janeymiddlewife]

Blueberries will do better in an acid compost, so go for a largish pot with an ericacious growing medium. I've read a drop of vinegar in the watering can will help acid lovers too.

Makes sense I suppose - they're in ericacious compost and getting watered with rainwater (from the sky - i don't have a waterbutt )
Fingers crossed!

[muntjac]

aggy bought 22. and then another 20 or so of the small shrub fruits etc ... we been digging holes like pixie miners last few days   . [pics to follow[

[Beetroot queen]

I went abit mad and brought 40 blackthorns

just need to find some space to put them in  :oops:

[FCG]

Munty, you having an orchard in your plot of land then? Which varietys did you manage to get? SO thats why i couldn't get a blackthorn eh beetroot queen? I was looking for one at least! Got another goosberry instead. I've set aside 7ft by 3ft in a sun spot in the garden for all bar 2 bushes which are going in the front. Hopefully we'll have a ton of fruit next year.

[peterjf]

hi there , you can plant your new trees between november - february,

plant them now and cover the area with 3-4 inches of manure , it acts as a mulch and feeds the plants through winter , helping to estabish them in spring

prune the new trees back to seven buds , allways leaving an outward facing bud

trim off any inward facing branches , keeping the air flow through the new plants,

cheers , pete in hull

[robbobnbill]

I Called Lidl and they sent me a letter with the rootstock info for the Trees:

Apples: 'M9' Dwarf Rootstock

Cherry: 'Colt' Rootstock, has uniform growth patterns and is semi vigourous

Pears: 'Quince A' Rootstock

Plums: 'St Julian' A Rootstock or 'Myrobolane' Rootstock, virus free ans semi vigourous growth

     

[agapanthus]

Munty, you having an orchard in your plot of land then? Which varietys did you manage to get? SO thats why i couldn't get a blackthorn eh beetroot queen? I was looking for one at least! Got another goosberry instead. I've set aside 7ft by 3ft in a sun spot in the garden for all bar 2 bushes which are going in the front. Hopefully we'll have a ton of fruit next year.

I've got a blackthorn you can have FCG....it was supposed to be a plum!!!! We've just planted a small orchard in our community garden.....mostly apples but are dotting other fruit trees around the plot as well......oh yes and we planted 3 cherry trees on our little meadow that we have a swing on that Munty built me!  

[JulesJ]

I took advantage of an earlier Lidl offer a few weeks ago, and put in a gooseberry, blackcurrant, redcurrant, 2 more raspberries (one of which I'm sure isn't a raspberry), and a couple of mock oranges. I got a honeysuckle from them earlier this year and it's growing marvellously in a big pot up the front of the house.