[plum crumble]

Hi - does anyone know of a supplier where I can buy fruit trees to harvest this year? I want to see if it would be silly money, or whether I should be patient and plant this year to harvest next year. I am after a trio of apple, plum and pear for the allotment, and have seen good deals - but all for next-year harvest.
Any advice gratefully received!

[Spana]

I think whatever age of tree you buy the idea of not letting  it fruit in its first year is so it puts all its energy into making roots.  If planting in the ground I would buy young trees and wait awhile for them to get established .  Dont know  how you would go on with pot grow trees that were going to grow on in pots, dont see why they couldn't be left to fruit. Perhaps you should look at those, then if you gave up your plot you could take them with you.  Some of these tiny trees give massive crops

[plum crumble]

OOH, NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT!! thanks Spana - will look into that

[gillie]

Sometimes you see trees in Garden Centres with fruit already on them - but they are extremely expensive and there is no guarantee that they will go on cropping.

It is much better to buy young trees and be patient!

Have you thought about pollination problems?

Gillie

[Trillium]

I agree with the others Plum. It's far more important to get a good root system going to support (feed) the fruits later as well as anchor the tree in the soil in times of severe wind. Potted trees with fruit on them now will set you further back next year as they have much more root system to catch up on, so you're better off with a young tree with no fruit for another year or two. Then you'll really be rewarded.

[Spana]

But what about the little trees called patio trees that are specially breed to grow and fruit  in pots.
I like big standards myself  and i don't have any experience of growing trees in pots but they are available and are supposed to crop heavily.  You can get them with two varieties on the one tree to help the pollination.  
If  I had a rented allotment  I would hate to leave behind a lovely big tree in fruit if I had to give the plot up.  

Just did a search and this was one of the first to come up
http://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/ProductDetails.asp?ProductID=581
They are a bit dinky but this is the sort of thing i was thinking of

[gillie]

I just do not believe pics like the one on the gardening express website.

It is amazing what you can do with photoshop.

Gillie

[adri]

That's hilarious!!!

Is that supposed to be an apple tree???!!!

Good Grief...

Also, there is no such thing as Gardening 'Express'!  It takes years and years to learn how to get anything decent out of the soil.  I've been veg gardening for at least 15 years now and still feel like a complete beginner...

Give the gardening express a big swerve.

Nick

[Spana]

  oh well, it was just a thought