Advice on buying fruit trees please

Maryann · « **on:** October 08, 2011, 13:50 »

I'm in need of some expert advice please.
I'm trying to buy 3 trees:
Crab Apple - John Downie
Quince - Vranja Lescovacz
Apple - Bramley

I have found several online websites - some on EBay offering 2 year old trees which they claim will fruit in 2012. However, I read somewhere that these trees crop after 5 -6 years which seems a long time to wait.

What is the best way to buy these trees - in pots or bare roots or what?

I confess to knowing nothing about buying fruit trees but last year just for the fun of it I bought 5 fruit trees from Aldi's for around £4 each with mixed results. All are growing really well but a couple didn't produce fruit this year (wasn't really expecting them to) however the apple is producing some lovely fruit - very tasty. We had about 6 pears from another and the cherry & one of the plum trees produced a handful. We were delighted with them as they were so cheap.
Now, I'm seriously wanting to produce enough apples and quinces for jam and jelly making and the 3 above are on my list for planting next month.

Any suggestions as to where to buy from and also what size and is there a best way to buy them.
Thanks for any help.

Kleftiwallah · « **Reply #1 on:** October 08, 2011, 15:35 »

Not an advertisement but a recommendation.

Blackmoor Fruit Nurseries. I have bought assorted fruiting 'stuff' and found they are very knowledgeable, informative and helpful. Cheers, Tony.

aqua · « **Reply #2 on:** October 08, 2011, 18:37 »

i got mine from ornamental trees - very good plants . google them for a look

johnfh · « **Reply #3 on:** October 08, 2011, 19:24 »

I bought a Gala from Trees on Line (Liverpool)) last winter. I could not find one locally but they are not cheap! £39 including delivery if I remember. It was pot grown and good quality and 2-3 years old. It did have some blossom on but none of it set. I think I did not have a compatible fertilizer and so am looking to get one this winter (locally hopefully)

Maryann · « **Reply #4 on:** October 09, 2011, 11:52 »

Thanks everyone - this is the company I have been looking at. They sell or via Ebay.
http://www.directplants.co.uk/

I have only just found out the pros & cons between container plants and bare root stock and seeing as you can only buy bare root stock between Nov - March I think thats what I will go for. Seems they are nowhere near as expensive as the pot grown plants and the roots establish themselves much quicker.

Spana · « **Reply #5 on:** October 09, 2011, 13:13 »

I like bare rooted myself

and its a good time now to plant them

I've bought quite a few fruit trees over the last few years from different companies, they all seem to be growing well, I've even had some from Lidl.

But I would say over the whole lot about 20% of them have been wrongly labelled.
My biggest order was from Deacons on the IOW. They had a really good selection of fruit varieties. I haven't looked at them lately, but they might be worth looking at. Even they sent an ordered Victoria plum which turned out to be a beautiful peach with lovely white sweet flesh so I dont mind too much. :happy:

Babstreefern · « **Reply #6 on:** October 09, 2011, 13:43 »

I bought my Scumptious Apple and a Cherry as bare rooted from Prestbury Nurseries - I told them exactly what I wanted and they advised me which ones would best suit me - I don't regret them. I even got a small crop the first year

. They now now in their 4th year, and have even been dug up and replanted and are still going strong.

And make sure if they are self ferlising, if not you need two trees

Maryann · « **Reply #7 on:** October 09, 2011, 17:25 »

Thanks for all the help and recommendations which I've noted down. I'm after a specific Quince and the old favourite Bramley so don't really want any mistakes if possible.
My Aldi trees (as said earlier) have done really well considering the cost of them. I had to elbow my way through the hordes of early morning OAP's who were loading up their trolleys with them in order to get the few I was after but it was great fun and we did have a laugh and joke about it whilst queueing up at the check out. I didn't expect too much from them but they blossomed and lit up my garden in the spring and a couple of them have fruited on the first year (much to the annoyance of the Son who paid a lot of money for his trees which didn't do much better)

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Advice on buying fruit trees please

Maryann

Advice on buying fruit trees please

Kleftiwallah

Re: Advice on buying fruit trees please

aqua

Re: Advice on buying fruit trees please

johnfh

Re: Advice on buying fruit trees please

Maryann

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Spana

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Babstreefern

Re: Advice on buying fruit trees please

Maryann

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