[She'sinthegarden]

Hi
I'm planning what to put on my new lottie and I've been looking at the Ballerina apple trees. I've done some Googling and found comments that their flavour isn't brilliant. Has anyone got these trees and can fill me in,please. Also, could I cut the top of the trunk if it got too tall?
Any comments about any type of suitable fruit trees would be much appreciated.
thanks

[woodburner]

You are lucky if trees are allowed on your site, although on the plot I turned down, an exception had been made for a disabled chap, so there are a few trees on it. I have to say they made a nice shady spot on a hot spring day! Highly desirable!

'Fraid I can't help with varieties, it's really a matter of personal taste. The important thing is that you need a dwarfing rootstock so that it doesn't need much pruning. It's the wrong time of year for planting so you have plenty of time to choose a variety. Supermarkets name most of their apples, and if you can go to an apple fest around September October you will probably find more obscure varieties to try. It's also a good place to get information on all sorts of apple related matters.

[JimG]

I planted four varieties of apple tree last year - when they're available at £3.99 (from Aldi) it seemed too good an opportunity to miss.  Three gave fruit straightaway, much to my surprise, and the best was Elstar by some margin.  At least, I thought so.

Since it was so nice, I bought another Elstar earlier this year and it has fruited too.  Ok, there's not going to be too many apples for a while but my problem might be having rather too many in a few years!  Yes, not very bright of me but I do like apples (and will keep telling myself that on a regular basis).

[gobs]

Hello, there, just as well, you get damn contradictory advice, I'm on the other side of the argument. Unless you have a postage stamp garden, don't do any much dwarfing stock trees, feeding and watering that is.

Otherwise, it's personal taste and also very importantly a suitable for your local climate variety you want, plentyof time to investigate, as said.

Hi
Also, could I cut the top of the trunk if it got too tall?

You don't cut the trunk, when it's too tall, as you prune regularly, every year, so it doesn't get anything you don't want it to.

[She'sinthegarden]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going for minarettes as you get a much wider choice of varieties. I'll never have enough, though, as I eat about 5 apples a day. (Addict, I think).

[gobs]

Considering that there several hundreds of apple varieties available and a good nursery would put you any on any rootstock you like....

[londongardener]

Blackmoor do cordons.  I have a ballerina but do not know about the flavour yet.