[Auntiemogs]

Hi all! I have a NE facing front garden so it only really gets sun in the earlier part of the day.  I have read that crab apples will tolerate partial shade and so would like to plant one in the border under my bedroom window. This means that I have about 5-6ft of growing height but I would like to be able to harvest fruits large enough to make crab apple jelly. Any suggestions? The border has a good 10ft width and would like to grow something productive there. 

[Yorkie]

Don't know but just wanted to say welcome to the site 

[Auntiemogs]

Thankyou Yorkie! 

[jonewer]

Yes, crabs grow in the wild and are adapted to being overshadowed by larger trees so will definitely do well in you NE garden.

I also have an NE garden and my apples seem to be doing OK!

You can make jelly with any crab regardless of size. I made some this year with wild crabs, golden hornets, and wild domestic apples that I scrumped.

John Downie are the largest crab and are mild enough to eat raw but drop in late summer. Other varieties are smaller and astringent but stay on the tree well into winter.

6 foot is quite small for a crab. Have you sourced a dwarf enough tree?

[Auntiemogs]

Hi Jonewer,
Was looking at this site:
http://www.mailordertrees.co.uk/Malus_%27Admiration%27_%28Crab_Apple_Tree%29.htm
Thinking now of putting it in the middle of my front lawn but heavy clay so will have to read up a bit. Still, they seem to be fairly hardy! 
Ty for your reply.
Margaret 

[sarajane]

I have one planted in a corner of our plot, on the NE side and slightly overshadowed by a crack willow .

 Its only 3 years old and had enough fruits for 4 small jars of jelly but the blossom in the spring is one of the prettiest I have ever seen.  Well worth growing in partial shade.

[Auntiemogs]

Thanks guys for your comments, have ordered a Half Standard 'Red Glo'. Looking forward to making my Gran's crab apple jelly, though it might be a while yet! 

[sunshineband]

If you have enough space you could also have a dwarf morello cherry -- they thrive in those conditions too 

[Auntiemogs]

Aha Sunshine, you've sniffed my jig!  Have one on order for the deck. Mmmm...cherry brandy! 

[sunshineband]

Aha Sunshine, you've sniffed my jig!  Have one on order for the deck. Mmmm...cherry brandy! 

 

Must have been the idea of the brandy out there on the ether