[snails2go]

I've been bought a rather lovely apple tree as a gift.  It's an early fruiting cooking apple tree, currently covered in lots of flower buds, and about 5ft high.  However, I was slightly alarmed to read that height and spread is likely to be 4m which is just a bit of the large size for the garden.  I'm use getting to grips with blueberries in tubs -  a proper tree is going to be a challenge!

Is it possible to keep it trained to stay small and still get a decent crop?  If so how?  It looks super on the patio at the moment in it's tiny "shop pot" so would it be ok for a couple/few years in a large pot on the patio?

[mumofstig]

Does the label say what rootstock the apple has - this makes a lot of difference to how small you can keep it?

[solway cropper]

If it's going to make 4m it ain't a very dwarfing rootstock. You could train it as a minarette which would keep the height but hold a more restricted shape, ie. tall and skinny. Imagine those Lombardy poplar trees they have in Italian paintings!

I have a beast of a cooker in my garden which is about 7-8m tall and I curse the person who planted it because they just let it go without any thought to the eventual size and shape it would make.

The RHS website has lots of info on pruning fruit trees to get the size and shape you want.

[snails2go]

Oh gosh - just looked at the RHS site and it can get to 8m 

I like the idea of a tall skinny one but no idea where to put it ... bottom of garden is home to the oak tree!

[snails2go]

Oh - sorry - so shocked by prospect of 8m completely forgot to add that...

There's no mention of root stock on the label  It just says that its a Malus Domestica 'Grenadier'

[Aunt Sally]

It's probably on an MM106 rootstock.  Cooking apples often are.

Don't panic though - In a small garden you can grow it against a wall or fence and train it as a fan, cordon or espalier.  Get yourself a book on apple pruning though.

[snails2go]

Had a quick "apple pruning" google and now faced with a whole different language 

So, I'm liking the idea of an espalier palmette verrier but the only fence I have spare is west facing under the oak tree.  Dappled shade all summer and dryish ground, loads of leaf mould though.

Might that work?

I'm thinking, I'll need the "10 years to reach 8m" to practice the pruning...

Edit to change auto fix of new pruning words!

[Aunt Sally]

They like a sunny position

[fatcat1955]

They like a sunny position

Don't we all.


edit to fix quote

[mumofstig]

but the only fence I have spare is west facing under the oak tree.  Dappled shade all summer and dryish ground, loads of leaf mould though.

If it's under the oak tree it will have to compete with the oak for nutrients, cos you'll be planting it where the oak's roots are  The further away from the oak the better really.