Planting Fruit Trees

For Apple Trees, Pear Trees, Plum Trees, Damson Trees, Cherry Trees etc. it is important to remember that these trees are related to roses and therefore need to be planted in an area, away from old rose borders, old orchards, mature Laurel, or Hawthorn Hedge, ornamental Cherry Trees, Mountain Ash and other mature rosaceous shrubs and trees.

It is also important to remember that the sunshine will make all the difference to the ripening fruit.

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Bare root season is between November and February and savings can be made if you can find the fruit trees you are looking for.  These are field grown trees that are available at the above time of year.

When preparing your soil make sure you have good drainage, as fruit trees and roses all hate water-logging.

Once the tops of the trees become active, for example, end of February onwards, the trees must then be put into containers and grown on as such.

By positioning your fruit trees, into clean ground, this will ensure the best start possible, for successful planting long-term.

When you plant a fruit tree, it is important to remember to remove most of its young fruit, in the first few years as the tree is definitely weaken if you let it fruit much in its early life.

Apple Trees,  Malus domestica.

When planting Apple Trees, it is also important to remember certain basic points that will ensure a success story for you.

There is the rootstock to consider.  The rootstock determines the size of the tree in the long run.

M27 is a rootstock used for trees to grow roughly 6-foot and therefore is suitable for many small gardens, however if your soil is heavy then the M27 could be a little weak and therefore the tree appears lackluster.

M9 is a rootstock that will control the tree to roughly 9 foot in height and it is definitely better than M27 in the heavier soils.

EM26 controls the tree to 12 foot or so

MM 106 makes the tree nearer to 15 foot.

Family Apple Trees are grown as three varieties of apple on one tree.  Nearly always, the rootstock will be an MM106.

Cordon is basically a single stem tree grown specially for wall training and arch work.

Espalier apples are trees trained into tiers, again for wall and arch training.

Pollination is the next most important thing, it is essential to get varieties that are compatible, so that the flowering periods are the same, or at the very least, overlap.  Flowering periods are broken down into FP1, FP2, FP3, FP4.  If the variety of apple is an FP1 then another one near it, must also be an FP1 or FP2, as they will overlap, by a few days.  In order to have successful, insect pollination, the flowers need to be open on more than one tree, at once.

Family Apple Trees will always have compatible flowering periods.

When people are limited for space then, they may only have enough room for one tree of a particular Apple, or move into a house, where their apple tree rarely fruits, as the pollination is poor, in this instance it is good to remember the crab apples as varieties such as Malus John Downie is available on an M27 rootstock, has a hugely long flowering period and can be grown in a half barrel, for many years.  The key to good pollination is as many compatible flowers being open in close proximity, at the same time, thus ensuring insects can do their job easily.

Pear Trees,  Pyrus communis

The main difference for Pear Trees form Apples is the fact that they flower earlier and are more susceptible to frost damaging the flowers.  Therefore West is best when positioning Pear trees. 

In colder regions then growing Cordon or Espalier against a warm wall is best.

The two rootstocks are known as Quince A which is a bigger tree, making 12 to 15 foot in height and spread, in 10 years and Quince C which is less vigorous, roughly 10 foot by 10 foot in 10 years.

The pollination rules still applies, so choose your varieties carefully.

There are family Pear trees also available, again having three varieties of Pear on one tree.

Plum Trees,  Prunus domestica.

Spring frosts can play havoc, so again West is best.

Fan trained and cordons best in northern regions, against the warmer wall.

Rootstocks, St Julian A bit roughly 15' x 15' in 10 years and Pixy is more like eight to 10 foot in height and spread, in 10 years.

Damson trees.  See Plum trees.

Cherry trees, Prunus avium

Many people use cordons and fan trained fruit as the advantage of growing this against a wall or arch is the ability to net it, as the fruit ripen, otherwise the birds will have them first.

If you want to grow as a freestanding tree, then remember to position it so that you can put a net over it.

A sheltered sunny site is best.

Rootstock is either Colt which is roughly 15' x 15' in 10 years or all the newer Inmil which is more like 10 to 12 foot by 10 to 12 in 10 years.