[becs]

Evening!

While up at the allotment today, chatting to my neighbour, we were discussing which plots were empty at the moment (quite a few as it goes).

To cut a long story short, I ended up with a second plot!!!
Its very well kept, all the soil is beautifully rotivated and weed free and ready to sew wonderful things in!

I was thinking I could put in a few fruit trees, as there is a bit at the bottom which doesn't seem to get so much sun.

Any recommendations for some smallish trees which will yield fruit quite quickly and not cost a bomb?
Don't ask much do I??

Thanks
Bec xx

[Beetroot queen]

A weed free plot, are you sure its vacant.  :blink: anymore going i'll take ten.

Keep an eye on aldi and lidl's although its a few weeks too late, these have cheapish trees i the spring and again i autumn.

I dont think you'll get much in before the end of the season as its all fully in leaf and fruit now.

[BabbyAnn]

Small trees are grown on dwarf (semi-dwarf) root stock so look out for those.  They won't stay small if you don't keep on top of the pruning.  As for cost, you've missed the ones sold as bare rooted trees but if you could wait until perhaps over winter/early next year, you could be better prepared of what you would like to grow otherwise the only ones available would be sold as potted up trees and are not cheap.  Look out for pollinating issues - even a self pollinating variety apple or pear actually does better with a pollinating partner, but plum and gages tend to be fine.

[Yorkie]

As BabbyAnn says, on an allotment site it really is responsible to yourself and to neighbouring plots to go for a dwarfing rootstock.  This will minimise the shade cast, and water / nutrient competition from the tree roots.

There are different rootstocks for different types of fruit; have a look at one of the fruit growers websites.

I would avoid Aldi, Lidl etc trees unless they are specific about rootstocks.

[Lincolnshire Floyd]

Evening!

While up at the allotment today, chatting to my neighbour, we were discussing which plots were empty at the moment (quite a few as it goes).

To cut a long story short, I ended up with a second plot!!!
Its very well kept, all the soil is beautifully rotivated and weed free and ready to sew wonderful things in!

I was thinking I could put in a few fruit trees, as there is a bit at the bottom which doesn't seem to get so much sun.

Any recommendations for some smallish trees which will yield fruit quite quickly and not cost a bomb?
Don't ask much do I??

Thanks
Bec xx

Try to go for some old English varieties as they are beginning to be overlooked and are becoming scarce.  It's not easy to buy old English varieties in supermarkets as they tend to sell the usual bland culprits. If you get a catalogue from Rogers Nurseries they will give you a good selection. My favourite cooker is Grandpa Buxton which you cannot buy and gives you very light and fluffy pastries and tarts etc. Much better than the Bramley. I have about six different eaters and by far the favourite of everybody is Kids Orange Red. Incredible flavour and keeps well through winter but not as long as a Russet. For something different try Pitmaston Pineapple. It's a very small apple but don't let its size put you off as it's as sweet as....well a pineapple. All these are on dwarf rootstocks and Rogers gives you that choice.

But as in all things you get what you pay for and with a tree that is going to be around for a good few years I just don't think it's worth getting something cheap that you might not like and be lumbered with for years. Don't regret at leisure as the saying goes.

[stainesbloke]

I've put some dwarf fruit trees on my plots. B&Q had some great patio fruit trees on offer, 2 trees for £25. I bought 4 trees, 2 pears, an apple and an apricot and touch wood they are all growing away wonderfully. Homebase has quite a few trees in currently. I'd also avoid Lidl/Aldi trees, yes they are cheap but there is no info on rootstocks which means you could get a tree more suitable for a field not an allotment!

[Beetroot queen]

I've put some dwarf fruit trees on my plots. B&Q had some great patio fruit trees on offer, 2 trees for £25. I bought 4 trees, 2 pears, an apple and an apricot and touch wood they are all growing away wonderfully. Homebase has quite a few trees in currently. I'd also avoid Lidl/Aldi trees, yes they are cheap but there is no info on rootstocks which means you could get a tree more suitable for a field not an allotment!

Good job i stuck mine at the back then on the hedge side. Hehe mind you they moan about anything anyway so at least i will stop them from being silent 

[becs]

A weed free plot, are you sure its vacant.  :blink: anymore going i'll take ten.

I know! It was a triple plot that a family have split up and kept one. Its great!

I will have a look at B&Q and homebase and see what they have, maybe waiting for winter.
Thanks for all the great advice!
I love this website!!!

Bec xx

[devonbarmygardener]

I got a dwarf Victoria plum from my local garden centre the previous spring.
Only got 1 plum last year - this year it's covered in teeny fruits

[peedee555]

hi bought four dwarf trees form morrisons early lat year 1 of each plum, apple,pear and cherry put them in the back garden for the kids got 2pears 2plums no apples and 1 cherry last year this year the plum has grown into a 12 foot monster and is covered in small plums the pear tree is about 6 foot and still going as is the other 2 aall laden with fruit if these are dwarf snow white is going to be a very tall woman watch out for the word dwarf and they only cost a fiver each

[J_B]

i plan to buy a few for the patrio , dwarf stock, plan on doing cherries , plums ....any suggestion as to a goo dplace to buy some

[aelf]

I bought a dwarf root stock apple tree with 3 varieties grafted onto it. The nursery is a large but independent one that supplies all the local shops. Only cost £18 and is full of blossom. Real bargain and a great way of getting more varieties into a small space

[J_B]

aelf  please share teh contact details please....thanks in advance

[Lincolnshire Floyd]

i plan to buy a few for the patrio , dwarf stock, plan on doing cherries , plums ....any suggestion as to a goo dplace to buy some

A lot of people get taken in by the cheap offers available from chain store outlets and then wonder why they get hardly any fruit. The plant may be a good one but without an appropriate pollinator it will struggle to give you a regular supply of fruit which is what you are after when all is said and done. You need to make sure you have the correct pollinators and that information is readily available from a renowned nursery. I don't regret buying from Rogers Nurseries as all my trees have never let me down even in the most dire years when everybody else's apples were failing. But any good nursery will give that information.
Sorry to plug this again, but if you don't support your native varieties they will eventually die out. People tend to forget just how many different English apples there are because they've been fed with a limited number of supermarket varieties over the years and think that is about it.
I had a student come to stay for a few weeks and when he ate one of our apples he said that it was the best apple he had ever tasted and didn't know that apples could taste that good. He was in his 30's too and had eaten nothing but the usual supermarket culprits, poor lad.
 
You can plant your own garden of Eden but make sure the supermarket serpent is not lurking in your brain.
Up the English apple!

[aelf]

aelf  please share teh contact details please....thanks in advance

http://www.gardencentreguide.co.uk/robins-bridge-nurseries-ormskirk