Fruit Trees & Nut Trees

Next to vegetables, fruit is probably the most valuable addition to the garden.

Fruit trees and fruit growing is in some regards more adaptable than vegetable growing as if you do not have enough room to set aside an area specifically for tree fruit you can still happily incorporate a few trees into your ornamental planting scheme; the same goes for nut trees. For those with more room an orchard or a 'mini-orchard' is an essential. With very few exceptions the trees we supply are suitable for both growing in the ground and growing in large containers or pots – thus making it possible to grow fruits and nuts on your patio, terrace or even roof garden.

We do not profess that our fruit listing is exhaustive, but like our vegetable listing all the varieties we sell we actually grow and eat here on the nursery - so once again they are tried and tested by us! Similarly our selection tends to be made up of older or heritage varieties of tree for one simple reason - flavour! But once again you will also find some newer varieties that we have found to have merit - it is important to embrace the new as well as the old.

Our full range of fruit is available during the dormant season, ie from approximately mid November until April, and generally supplied as bare root trees lifted from the open ground. During the late Spring and Summer months we are able to supply many varieties as pot grown trees - quite simply if our website say 'Buy Now' it is available now, if it say 'Pre Order' it is available later.

In most cases our trees are suitable for training as you wish into such forms as bush, cordon, espalier or fan. Before dispatch our trees are carefully pruned and unless specifically requested we prune our trees for growing in bush form - if you intend to grow in another form please let us know and we shall select and prune accordingly.

Our fruit planting and aftercare instructions will prove useful to those new to fruit tree growing whilst if you are at all confused about pollination our section on fruit tree pollination should relieve your concerns. And if you seek inspiration on what to do with the fruits of your labour check out some of our favourite recipes

In 2006 Grow Your Own magazine asked our Stephen Shirley for his thoughts on fruit tree growing in the garden; see what he had to say in his article Tree Wishes.

General Guidance & Advice For Fruit Trees & Nut Trees

Unpacking / Pre-Planting Care
If bare root, upon receipt of your tree unpack the roots from its polythene and mulch packing; if they are dry stand in a bucket of water for no more than half an hour. Ideally your tree should be planted out as soon as possible; if this is not possible either ‘heel’ into a shallow trench or alternatively wrap the roots back up in the bark chip and polythene they were originally packed in and store in a cool frost free place - do not keep in a warm place as premature growth will occur. Check that the roots are kept moist every few days and plant out as soon as practical. Often leaves will be found to be ‘hanging on’ - to later fall and leave naked branches; this need cause no alarm as leaves of all deciduous stock naturally fall in Autumn. If the tree is pot grown simply remove the covering polythene bag and ensure the compost is moist.
Prior to dispatch all field grown trees are root pruned to encourage fibrous root growth so there should be no need for you to further prune the roots. Similarly we head back the trees (potted and bare root) so, unless you are training in a specific style such as espalier or similar, there is no need to do any pruning at planting time.

Container Growing
All stock, with the exception of the Walnut, is suitable for growing in patio tubs or containers as well as planting outside in the open ground. If planting in a patio tub or container try to use one of at least 18" diameter. Small containers, with a tree loaded with foliage and fruit, could become top heavy in high winds such as we have experienced in the U.K. over the last few years. The ideal container, if for a patio, is either one made of concrete or a half-cut wooden barrel or tub. We have yet to find a plastic container that does not crack or break down after 7 or 8 years.
If planting in a tub good drainage is essential. Holes should be made in the base, and possibly in the sides at the base as well. Avoid standing the container where it will become waterlogged. Ideally the container should be stood on a couple of house bricks or gravel to assist drainage. Ordinary garden soil suits all our fruiting stock. There is no need to purchase expensive composts from garden centres. A little brick mortar rubble in the bottom of the container, to cover the drainage holes and to stop the soil falling through is recommended. At planting time do not introduce any stimulants, fertiliser or bonemeal. This can prove positively injurious and harmful.

Planting Out
As with many things in life, remember that a little extra care and time taken with planting your tree will pay dividends for many years to come!
Dig a hole approximately double the width and double the depth of the size of the tree’s roots, rootball, or container it was grown in. Now fork over the sides and bottom of the hole to loosen up the surrounding soil before refilling to bring the soil level up to the correct planting depth for your tree; you can either refill with the soil you originally dug out or ideally with a mixture of this soil and 25% organic matter such as well rotted manure (not fresh) or compost to give your tree the best start.
Place the tree in the hole, ensuring its final planting depth is the same or only slightly deeper than it had been previously grown at (indicated by the soil or compost mark on the stem). Now refill, either with the previously removed garden soil or your soil / compost mixture. Firm in well and water if soil is dry.
Under no circumstances should you use any stimulants, fertiliser or bonemeal at planting time as such products will ‘burn’ any new root growth and actually slow your tree’s development!
Whilst not always necessary we do advocate the use of a stake and tie and planting time.

Aftercare
In the first growing season after planting it is vital to ensure your tree is adequately watered - and this is even more critical in extended dry periods or drought. When watering any newly planted stock a ‘heavy soaking’ once a week is favourable to a ‘light shower’ every day, and will encourage a good deep root system.
Keep the area around the base of your tree free of weeds and grass which would otherwise compete for both moisture and nutrients.
To further aid moisture retention it is a good idea to mulch around your newly planted tree with chipped bark, well rotted manure or similar; this will also help with suppressing weed growth.
During the active growing season an occasional feed with our ‘Instant Life’ or a light top dress with a base fertiliser will prove beneficial. Under no circumstances be tempted to overfeed though! With a few exceptions fruit trees prefer a limey soil and to this end an annual liming of the surrounding soil at a rate of 4 oz per square yard will prove of benefit.

Pruning & Training
Many many books have been written on fruit tree pruning and training – a subject we cannot detail in these simple guidance notes; to this end, for guidance on training and pruning we would recommend either the book ‘Success With Organic Fruit’ or the book ‘Success With Apples & Pears To Eat & Drink’ – both available from ourselves.

Some additional notes on specific varieties...

Almonds, Nectarines & Peaches
Just as the growth buds begin to swell, i.e. in February or March, every year spray your tree with Bordeaux mixture or a copper fungicide to prevent leaf curl. Leaf curl is a water borne fungus disease known as Exoascus deformans, and the symptoms of red blistered and swollen leaves will occur if you do not undertake this simple professional plantsman’s tip (all trees despatched March onwards will have been treated by us). If it does re-occur it is essential to spray at 14 day intervals (or as the fungicide instructions direct) until it disappears! It is good practice to spray in Autumn at leaf fall, beore the onset of Winter. This does not prove necessary if growing in an unheated greenhouse or conservatory.

Figs
Severe pruning is to be discouraged. Figs are produced on short jointed growths made in the previous year. A well drained sunny position is essential for figs. Choose a site in full sun - can also be grown in a conservatory.

Mulberries
Little pruning is required, these are very easy and all you need to do is trim to shape as you desire. Mulberries tend to reveal some dead wood over the Winter months which should be trimmed off if no leaves appear by early Summer. See what Grow It! magazine had to say about mulberries in their article Going Round The Mulberry Bush

Walnuts
Only grafted Walnuts (as we grow and sell) produce a worthwhile crop. These are best planted in the open ground where they may be left to grow undisturbed. Very little pruning or after care treatment is required. Green Walnuts can of course be used for pickling - we prefer ours shelled.

A copy of this guidance can be downloaded here - Fruit & Nut Tree Guidance

Fruit Tree Pollination

Fruit tree pollination is a subject that confuses many. We have tried to make life easy! From our listing you will see many of the varieties of fruit trees we sell are partially self fertile or self fertile trees (do not require a pollinator).For items that require a pollinator we indicate this as such. So what pollinates what? All apple varieties we grow are capable of cross pollinating each other; similarly all cherries we grow will cross pollinate each other - and the same goes for pears, gages and plums. The simple rule (when buying from us) is any apple will pollinate any apple, any cherry will pollinate any cherry etc etc.

Tree Wishes

Don't think you need acres of space to create a stunning orchard. Fruit Expert Stephen Shirley reveals how to get a succulent crop from an average-sized garden

Say the word 'orchard' to a lot of gardeners and it conjures up troubling images of huge trees, complicated pruning and, worse still, the spectre of cross pollination. But don't let fear – or space – put you off growing a harvest of mouth-watering fruit. You will be amazed at just how easy it can be.

Just like vegetables, home grown fruit has a far superior flavour and texture to supermarket produce and, in many cases, the differences are far more obvious. Which would you prefer? A bright green apple, unripe and hard as a bullet with a flavour to match, or an apple butter gold in colour with a taste that is crisp, juicy and truly delicious? Both apples may be a Golden Delicious, but the first is picked early and store sold while the other is grown in your garden where it has been allowed to mellow and mature on the tree.

Fruit trees, bushes and vines don’t need to take up a great deal of space. If you haven't got room for a traditional orchard or soft fruit bed, then why not incorporate fruit into the ornamental areas of the garden? Ornamentals that produce both flower and berries are often prized for their dual attraction and fruiting stock does this for free. The blossom of even the humble apple or cherry will easily match many ornamentals' displays, while peaches and almonds will beat them hands down. Currants wouldn't look out of place grown in borders, while grapevines and blackberries will happily oust traditional climbers along fences, over trellis or arbours. And as virtually all fruit can be container grown, you shouldn't rule the patio out of contention. even exotic fruits like oranges and lemons will do well in a planter sited in full sun. They can easily be brought into the greenhouse for winter.

I used to grow fruit trees (on dwarfing stocks) at 2m (8ft) gaps along a boundary border, with currants and berries trained onto the fence between. The border was 1m (3ft) wide and didn't encroach on the garden but still supplied us with ample to harvest.

The Science
With few exceptions, fruit trees are budded or grafted onto a rootstock and it is this that controls the vigour and ultimately the size of the tree. Broadly speaking, fruit trees can be divided into dwarf (2m or less), dwarfing (3.5m or less) and vigorous (4m to 6m). For really small gardens, dwarf stocks may at first appear to be the best option because you can easily keep at a manageable size. But, beware, that reduced vigour will also impact on the yield. The more vigorous stocks will give the greatest yield, but your trees will end up huge and you’ll need a ladder to harvest them. A dwarfing stock gives you the best of both worlds – enough vigour to produce a decent yield but a tree that can be easily maintained (with a little pruning). Aim to keep it around the 2m (6ft) mark, even though they will remain manageable up to twice that. A tree grown on a dwarfing stock is also suitable for growing in a container. The spread of bush fruit varies greatly, so read the plants' individual descriptions or ask the nurseryman.

Training college
Fruit trees can be grown in many forms or shapes, the most popular being bush, fan and espalier. Bush is ideal for the novice fruit gardener planting in the open, while fans and espaliers are ideal for those with less space who want to train fruit against walls or fences. Pruning and training will be required for all forms even if it is just the bare minimum ‘containment’ pruning. Don't let the thought of pruning put you off growing fruit. Many books are available on the subject which magazines, like Grow Your Own, return to every month.

Ultimately you and your secateurs are in control of how and where you want to train your tree. So if you want to maximise your space, grow it a little tighter than the spread would suggest and prune accordingly.

Extending The Harvest
A little thought will give you a succession of fruit through the season. Cherries are the earliest to fruit (June / July) followed by apricots, peaches and nectarines (July / August); early varieties of apple such as ‘Stark’s Earliest’ can be eaten straight off the tree from mid August with other varieties of apples, pears and plums following on into the autumn and, with proper storage, until after Christmas. Incorporate a few soft fruits into your planting and there won't be a week in summer when you cannot pick fresh fruit.

Tree's a crowd
How many fruit trees you need is an often asked question, but one which is difficult to answer. When it comes to tree fruit, one tree of each variety should suffice – unless you have plans for jam making or preserves. Similarly with hybrid berries – one plant of any variety should feed a family. For currants I'd suggest a couple of each and, when it comes to raspberries, I don’t think there is much point in growing less than five of each variety.

What you decide to grow should come down to personal taste. Think about the varieties of fruit you like to eat and use that as your starting list. With one or two exceptions you should be able to grow the varieties of fruit you can buy in your local supermarket and a whole lot more. Most nurseries and fruit suppliers are happy to advise on a similar variety or one that will grow in your part of the country.

Seeds Of Success
If pollination is the reason stopping you dashing out and buying a fruit tree then think again. There are self pollinating varieties of all types of tree and soft fruit. If space dictates room for just one apple, or one pear, and the variety you'd like to grow is not self fertile, then ask the nurseryman for advice on a similar one that is. If you are planning to grow trees that require a pollinator (sometimes described as self sterile) the simple rule is the trees must all flower at the same time or have overlapping flowering periods. These flowering groups will often be indicated by a letter code or number code in the catalogues. And stop worrying if a pear can pollinate an apple, or a cherry pollinate a pear – it's impossible.

Stephen Shirley is managing director of Kent based Victoriana Nursery Gardens. To look at its amazing range visit www.victoriananursery.co.uk call 01233 740 529 for a brochure.

4 Planting Schemes To Try
If you’re still unsure what to grow for your first foray into fruit, try one or more of these classic combinations...
Apple ‘James Grieve’, pear ‘Conference’ and plum ‘Victoria; these three old favourites complement each other perfectly. ‘James Grieve’ has the bonus of being dual purpose cooker and eater, while 'victoria’ is a very reliable cropper with good-sized fruit.
How about crab apple ‘John Downie’, damson 'Farleigh' and quince ‘Champion’? They’ll make the perfect (and traditional) selection for any jam and jelly enthusiaist. 'Farleigh' gives a particularly heavy yield of juicy, blue-black coloured fruit.
A peach, nectarine and apricot combo makes for a more exotic collection and they are actually much hardier than people realise. More northerly gardeners can grow them in containers and move them into the greenhouse from Christmas until the last frost to maximise yield.
A tayberry, a blackberry and some raspberries will give you dessert fruit from late June onwards. Choose a primocane (fruiting on first year wood) raspberry variety such as ‘Autumn Bliss’ or ‘Polka’ and pruning will be as simple as trimming down everything once a year. They will fruit well into September.

Small portions of this article have been amended from the 'as printed' due to typographical errors...the full as printed magazine article can be viewed by here - Tree Wishes – Grow Your Own, August 2006

Favourite Recipes Using Tree Fruit

Apple Crumble
Ingredients (serves 6)
8oz self raising flour
4oz butter
4oz caster sugar (plus some to sweeten the apples)
4 - 6 cooking apples – peeled and sliced
(optional: handful of raisins)

Method
Put the apples into an oven proof dish and sprinkle with sugar and cook in a little water until just soft, this can be done in a microwave – about 5 minutes depending on your microwave.
Put flour, butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon, then use your hands until the mixture resembles bread crumbs; at this point you can, if you wish, add the raisins.
Sprinkle onto the apples and cook in a moderate oven for approximately 35 minutes, when you remove sprinkle with a little more sugar for that extra sweetness!
Serve with cream, ice cream or custard.

You can of course use other fruit instead of apples - blackberries can be added to the apples which is lovely - or what about a pear crumble?

A copy of this recipe can be downloaded here - Apple Crumble Recipe

Toffee Apple Pudding
Ingredients (serves 6)
12 ½ oz butter
11 oz light muscovado sugar
1 tablespoon golden syrup
2 eggs
5 ½ oz self raising flour
Juice of ½ lemon
2 medium / small dessert apples
1 level teaspoon baking powder

Equipment
2 x 2pt pudding basins, lightly greased
Scales
Wooden spoon
Bowl
Mixing bowl
2 large saucepans
1 medium saucepan
Two squares of tin foil for the top of the pudding basins

Method
The topping is made first. Melt the 9 oz of the butter and 9 oz of the sugar together in the medium saucepan over a low heat, stirring frequently, then add the lemon juice. Stir (quite quickly) until a smooth sauce arrives. Pour half into a bowl, the half that remains in the saucepan is to be reheated and used as a sauce with the pudding when served.
Chop the apples into small pieces (about 1cm squares) and add to the topping in the bowl and stir well, then pour it into the bottom of the two pudding basins equally.
Then put all the pudding ingredients into your large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon (an electric mixer can over beat the ingredients). Carefully put the mixture into the two pudding basins, sharing it equally. The pudding basins should be about 2/3 full, then cover with the foil – put a pleat in it to allow the pudding to rise. The pudding can be chilled to cook later now if you prefer.
To cook the puddings put them into the saucepans and fill them with boiling water (about half way) and cover them with lids. Allow them to simmer for 1½ - 2hrs or until cooked – don’t forget to keep checking that there is still water in the pans and topping up.
Turn out and dust with icing sugar – or serve from the dish to ensure your guests know they’re home made, don’t forget the sauce and enjoy – perfect for a miserable cold day.

A copy of this recipe can be downloaded here - Toffee Apple Pudding Recipe