[Madame Cholet]

been offered 5 more poles next to my plot for  £5. I currently have 10 poles for veg running north south and 5 poles behind, north, which is grassed with 2 apple trees, 1 damson, 1 conference pear, 1 victoria plum and 1 green gage. soft fruit in front raspberries, rhubarb, tayberry and logan berry.

The extra 5 pole will make the lotty L shaped doubling the orchard width.

Can I move 3 apple trees from home which have only been in 2 years? I'm going to move the hazel hedge only 1 year old, which separates the 2 plots. and extend it along the back boundary with hawthorn and sloes.

I've been given a bath for a pond and fancy a few more trees and bushes  thinking hazelnuts dessert gooseberries, blackcurrant and jostaberry? Hoping to dry fruit for storage and make more jam.


I have a fig, cherry and mulberry at home.

[suziet88]

Yippee.  Well done.  Smashing.  Super.  A plot just for fruit.  Loverly

[Yorkie]

Yes you should be able to move them - wait until the trees are deciduous and the ground is neither frozen nor waterlogged.

Best practice would be to sever around the rootball this winter, and leave it a year to move them so that new roots can be grown to aid quicker establishment.

But if you don't do that, make sure you take as big a rootball as possible, dig the new hole before digging up the tree, throw in a decent handful of multi-purpose fertiliser, and plant at the same level as before.  Water in properly for at least a year, even in winter.

[Madame Cholet]

thanks Yorkie

[sunshineband]

Wow!  How good is that?

As Yorkie says, yes by all means move the trees from home, but I'm thinking there might be space for more soft fruit too 

[angelavdavis]

Sounds like a good plan Rachel. 

Having just taken over another half plot, I am also planning on doing exactly the same (and moving my soft fruit trees too).

I intend to move two pear trees and a cherry tree as soon as they are dormant.  I also want to move 6 red/white/black currants.  I also want to move my raspberries to create two new beds for them.

I was thinking of planting a couple of hazel bushes to act as wind protection, in addition to being fruit and bean pole supplies!  I am a little concerned though about the root spread and impact on the rest of the plot, so I am still considering the pros and cons at the moment.

[mumofstig]

I wish we were allowed trees - I really fancy a plum, but can't see that I'd get away with sneaking one in 

[Madame Cholet]

Sounds like a good plan Rachel. 

Having just taken over another half plot, I am also planning on doing exactly the same (and moving my soft fruit trees too).

I intend to move two pear trees and a cherry tree as soon as they are dormant.  I also want to move 6 red/white/black currants.  I also want to move my raspberries to create two new beds for them.

I was thinking of planting a couple of hazel bushes to act as wind protection, in addition to being fruit and bean pole supplies!  I am a little concerned though about the root spread and impact on the rest of the plot, so I am still considering the pros and cons at the moment.

I think they are ok a couple of us have hazel hedges lots of pros and nuts are getting expensive

[angelavdavis]

MoS, could you not plant it in a large dustbin sized container in the ground so it could be removed if needed?  I have two pigmy peaches which are only 3 foot tall and they produce really well (although admittedly are in the ground).  Not plums, but nice nonetheless.

I can understand that, historically, allotments have had issues with wholly unsuitable trees being planted on the plots (as you know, I inherited a paullonia that I plan to remove soon) but we have the rule that any trees must be on dwarfing roofstock only and mustn't cast shade on other plots.  Other than the peaches, the majority of my other trees are pruned into espaliers and cordons.

MdmeCholet, it is good to know that you haven't had problems with the root spread, a hazel hedge would be better, but the location isn't really suitable for a hedge sadly.

[mumofstig]

mmm..............that sounds like a good plan 

[Madame Cholet]

Yes all my trees are on semi dwarfing stock and down the north end of the plot which is next to our wildlife area. The trees are 6' away from the boundary to stop roots encrouching. A lot of out plots have a few fruit trees most people are pleased to inherit something apart from weeds. There is also a lot of space and rents are cheap so every one is easy going.

angela could you plant articokes as a wind break mine are 9' this year.

[angelavdavis]

angela could you plant articokes as a wind break mine are 9' this year.

Thanks for this, it is funny you suggest this as a fellow plotholder gave me some jerusalem artichoke tubers this week for that reason.  I grow Globe artichokes, but none of my lot at home like them except me so I am a bit loathe to plant too many more! 

Trouble is, I took on the additional 2.5 rods in June, and, as of this month, have another 2.5 rods but my brain still confuses rods for acres and I have already filled the plot (in my head that is!)

[Madame Cholet]

yes sorry i ment the j ones the others are fiddly to eat.

[savbo]

just a reminder that you need to put some rocks or similar in the bath as the steep edges won't let hedgehogs or even frogs get out of the water

sav

[Madame Cholet]

thanks i might try the  DIY artificial tufa stuff