[ghost61]

I am planning to plant a few dwarf fruit trees in an area about 4m x 3m. I already have a plum tree elsewhere, so don't need another. I am thinking of a cooking apple, as I use these a lot and we don't tend to eat dessert apples often, a pear tree, preferably not conference, a cherry and an apricot, but am open to suggestions. Max height would be about 3-4m.  Recommendations of self fertile varieties and suppliers would be very welcome!

The plan is to let the chickens roam around under them as the area is behind the hen house and it would give them the chance to escape from the fixed run. They would only be let out whilst we are down the plot so there is no need for a roof for the trees, although netting may be needed if they are fruitful! 

[Yorkie]

If you are choosing an apple, you need to be aware of the pollination situation - most apples need other varieties around to help pollinate. 
www.rhs.org.uk/media/pdfs/advice/ApplePollinationGroups

Some other types of fruit trees need another nearby to pollinate (i.e. unless they are self-pollinating as you state).

Have a careful look at what other trees are around on the site.

At that sort of spacing, another thing to consider is which rootstock to grow your various varieties onto - I would go for the most dwarfing rootstock or the next one up, depending on how many trees you plan, or they will grow into each other and compete too much for nutrients / water.

There are a number of well-known fruit nurseries.  R V Roger(S) of Pickering is near to me and has an excellent website which you can browse.

I don't grow specific varieties so can't offer advice on that angle.

[ghost61]

Thanks Yorkie. As mentioned I would prefer self fertile varieties to get around the pollination issue. Trees that are around now may not be in a few years time! Thinking of Colt / M26 rootstock as appropriate for the fruit. I think four would probably be enough in the area to avoid too much shade underneath and a tangle overhead!

[sunshineband]

Just to add to your mix......

... have you considered a quince? There are several now available on dwarfing rootstocks and they do give excellent crops.

Apricots seem more weather dependent somehow

[carlrmj]

 
    I got a mini orchard from garden bargains online  three years ago .

   They have various choices  and combinations of trees ,they are not supposed to grow more than 7 ft tall ,and can be planted approx 5-6 ft apart .

  I have  2x ( morello cherry ,conference pear ,victoria plum and braeburn apple ), but I could have varied them more . I don't know the prices now , but I paid 49.99 for all eight trees .

 Cheers Carl

[ghost61]

Hi Sunshineband. I have a couple of quince at home. I too am hesitant about apricot, love them, but not sure they would be ok as the site is very windy, and I always remember the pathetic crop mum got off hers. Same problem with her peach tree - loads of growth but small fruit, mainly the stone! Perhaps two cherries would be better, as I can eat those for England, if only I had unlimited funds to buy them! 

[BobE]

I bought this from .......................





Apple Bramley Original £17.95 This is propagated, from the original Bramley in Nottinghamshire.
On rootstock MM106.  (3-4M)


Mine, after a year, has three apples on it.  I am growing it as a bush.  I love that it is DNA related to the very first tree in Britain.  Please read on further.




Source..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bramley_apple


The first 'Bramley's Seedling' tree grew from pips planted by Mary Ann Brailsford when she was a young girl in her garden in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, in 1809. The tree in the garden was later included in the purchase of the cottage by a local butcher, Matthew Bramley in 1846. In 1856, a local nurseryman, Henry Merryweather asked if he could take cuttings from the tree and start to sell the apples. Bramley agreed but insisted that the apples should bear his name.
On 31 October 1862, the first recorded sale of a Bramley was noted in Merryweather's accounts. He sold "three Bramley apples for 2/- to Mr Geo Cooper of Upton Hall". On 6 December 1876, the Bramley was highly commended at the Royal Horticultural Society's Fruit Committee exhibition. In 1900, the original tree was knocked over during violent storms; it survived, however, and is still bearing fruit two centuries after it was planted. It is now the most important cooking apple in England and Wales,

For me this is wonderful.  I have a clone of this tree in my garden.

[ghost61]

BobE, that is really sweet. Heritage is so important and easily forgotten nowadays.