Bargain Fruit Trees

[calico]

My four exotic fruits arrived today, thanks to the post office.

A little bit on the small size, pity they don't have labels.
I have potted them up in larger pots and labelled them and now they are getting a bit of rain.
I will have to wait to see if my goji and pomegranate have the correct labels in their pots.

That's not very good is it? I hate that when you get plants without labels.

 

[dollydimple]

I got a pack of the 4 fruit trees - pear, apple, plum and cherry - and they arrived today.

I bought the black 30 litre containers too, to pot them in.

What do I do now? Do I put stones in the bottom of the containers, fill them with soil and then put the trees in? What is the best soil / potting stuff to use, please?

Do I need to feed them? How much space between each tree should there be? I was planning to put the containers in front of the workshop / shed but not sure if I should have 4 close together.

sorry for all the questions.

:thanks:

 

[Themroc]

That's not very good is it? I hate that when you get plants without labels.

The growing instructions are not very good either, very general planting advice.

They did come exceptionally well packed, each plant pot was in a plastic bag and strapping used to hold the pots in the box. All the plants are very healthy looking, and look to be either two or three years old.
Not bad plants for under a fiver.

You would have thought that they printed a label on a PC so you knew what was what.

 

[Themroc]

I got a pack of the 4 fruit trees - pear, apple, plum and cherry - and they arrived today.

I bought the black 30 litre containers too, to pot them in.

What do I do now? Do I put stones in the bottom of the containers, fill them with soil and then put the trees in? What is the best soil / potting stuff to use, please?

Do I need to feed them? How much space between each tree should there be? I was planning to put the containers in front of the workshop / shed but not sure if I should have 4 close together.

sorry for all the questions.

:thanks:

Soak the roots in water overnight.
Use John Innes No3 compost.
Mix a handful of Bonemeal or growmore for feed.
You do not need stones or broken pots in the bottom.
Space 4 foot apart or so the branches don't touch the next tree.

They will be heavy when potted up and will need two people to move them.
With mine I put in compost up to 4 inches from the top. Watered well and topped up the pots with small bark chippings.

 

[dollydimple]

Soak the roots in water overnight.
Use John Innes No3 compost.
Mix a handful of Bonemeal or growmore for feed.
You do not need stones or broken pots in the bottom.
Space 4 foot apart or so the branches don't touch the next tree.

They will be heavy when potted up and will need two people to move them.
With mine I put in compost up to 4 inches from the top. Watered well and topped up the pots with small bark chippings.

:thanks: Thanks for this, I will pot them tomorrow, now I know the right way to do it......and then wait for the fruit. :lol:

 

[LuckyLady]

:54:I love that - indeed there is scientific proof that talking to plants aids their growth. I grow gaint pumpkins (for no reason other than fun) and I'm going to have a chat with them tomorrow:54:

Well ROC the real problem will be when your pumpkins start talking back to you.....:flower:

 

[Mathilda]

Well ROC the real problem will be when your pumpkins start talking back to you.....:flower:

I don't think there's any need to worry, ROC...... pumpkins are nice friendly folks..... I expect Lucky Lady just had a bad experience with one....:cheeky:

 

[Red]

Well my trees have arrived.
The Cherry has lots of leaves, the Pear has lots of shoots BUT the Apple and Plum are just like branches with roots attached at the bottom - no leaves or signs of shoots at all.
Did everyone else's arrive like this please?
Also the roots were bone dry when they arrived, even though their instructions state do not allow to dry out!
It was the apple and plum we really wanted so will be gutted if they don't grow.
Thanks.

 

[Themroc]

Yes, all my trees came like that (they did say so in the show as they have been kept in a chiller to fool the trees that it was still winter).

If you scrap a small bit of bark with your nail at the end of a branch to see if it is green.

I Left them in a big bucket of water overnight before planting in pots.

After a week or two, all trees had leaves. Only the Victoria plum flowered.

To be honest, I did not expect any flowers or fruit this year.

So far all the trees are alive and well.

 

[calico]

Well my trees have arrived.
The Cherry has lots of leaves, the Pear has lots of shoots BUT the Apple and Plum are just like branches with roots attached at the bottom - no leaves or signs of shoots at all.
Did everyone else's arrive like this please?
Also the roots were bone dry when they arrived, even though their instructions state do not allow to dry out!
It was the apple and plum we really wanted so will be gutted if they don't grow.
Thanks.

All mine came leafless, red, but soon burst into leaf when planted. Unlike thermroc I've not had any flowers at all so far so don't expect any fruit this year - but then again I've been told this isn't a bad thing.
I left mine soaking in buckets of water for a day before planting out too.

 

[Lottie]

I'm sorely tempted by the fruit trees and i'm contemplating a Bramley Apple one - trouble is, when l look on the IW site, I see 2 Bramley trees for £14.99 and also one Bramley Apple "feathered maiden" for the same price (but only one tree).

The second one also has more of a description....

So, if i were to buy the 2 fruit trees are these really inferior stock? Is a feathered maiden a better buy?

HELP!!

Links to the 2 are here:

(and to me the pics look the same!!)

http://www.idealworld.tv/2_Bramley_Apple_Trees_148981.aspx?search=apple

http://www.idealworld.tv/Bramley_Apple_Feathered_Maiden_Tree_144984.aspx?search=apple

 

[Red]

Well ALL my trees now have green shoots so I am more than happy.

 

[Themroc]

I'm sorely tempted by the fruit trees and i'm contemplating a Bramley Apple one - trouble is, when l look on the IW site, I see 2 Bramley trees for £14.99 and also one Bramley Apple "feathered maiden" for the same price (but only one tree).

The second one also has more of a description....

So, if i were to buy the 2 fruit trees are these really inferior stock? Is a feathered maiden a better buy?

HELP!!

Links to the 2 are here:

(and to me the pics look the same!!)

http://www.idealworld.tv/2_Bramley_Apple_Trees_148981.aspx?search=apple

http://www.idealworld.tv/Bramley_Apple_Feathered_Maiden_Tree_144984.aspx?search=apple

A feathered maiden is trained to be flat so that it can be grown against a wall or fence. They cost more than normal trees as they pruned and trained by the nursery.

If you have a wall and limited space, go for the feathered tree.

 

[Lottie]

Awwww themroc, thank you ever so for that

 

[dollydimple]

How are your tress coming along? I am very pleased with mine. All are in leaf, 2 more than others but nevertheless, looking good.:clap:

 

[calico]

How are your tress coming along? I am very pleased with mine. All are in leaf, 2 more than others but nevertheless, looking good.:clap:

Mine are doing fab as well dollydimple and this rain is giving them a great boost too!

 

[Themroc]

Fruit trees, blueberries and the exotic collection are all doing very well. The kiwi has gone mad the last few weeks and is growing 4 new shoots with lods of leaves.
The blueberries are inundated with fruit.

The Victoria Plum that flowered did not set any fruit.:sad:
Better for the tree to establish it's roots at the expense of any fruit this year.

Very impressed so far with IW, will look at the offer tonight (2 potted trees), must hide the credit card.