fruit tree help...

[Pignut]

It looks as though I am going to be moving house. The new homestead has 3/4 of an acre with it which is all grass at the moment.

I am wanting to plant a small orchard at the top of the garden with (If possible) traditional old breed fruit trees. this is something i know nothing about!

can anyone help with where to get the trees? what is best to plant etc etc.

there is one Plum tree there at the moment which always has a huge crop.

I am also wanting to plant the top 1/3 of the garden with wild flowers/grass in and around the orchard... is this even possible?

Help!!!

 

[bob_the_baker]

no affiliation, just a happy customer, but I have found Ashridge Nurseries very good. I have had a few apple and pear trees off them. If you only get 1 apple tree, can I heartily recommend the Charles Ross, it's a traditional British utility apple, excellent sweet flavour and can be used for eating, cooking and cider making. What's not to love.

 

[Catfish1972]

www.keepers-nursery.co.uk has every tree you could imagine, and a whole lot more besides.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

I am wanting to plant a small orchard at the top of the garden with (If possible) traditional old breed fruit trees. this is something i know nothing about!

If you want the old varieties then you'll have to go to a traditional or even specialist nurseries............there are probably a few in your region.

what is best to plant etc etc.

The above mentioned specialists will be best able to advise you on what varieties to plant in your particualar area & also the best rootstocks adapted to your terrain as well as info on cross pollination.
so apples, pears,quinces, plums & cherries could be your starting point.

there is one Plum tree there at the moment which always has a huge crop.

I am also wanting to plant the top 1/3 of the garden with wild flowers/grass in and around the orchard... is this even possible?

Can't see any problems...most fruit trees grow well in grass & if your plant some native bulbs as well it will look fantatastic.

 

[Pignut]

Thanks for your help folks.

I want the wild flower bit to be all native. I used to play here as a kid and can remeber grass hoppers. Spiders. Moths and butterflies. But there is nothing now.... I am also intending to cut down all of the lalandii (sp) build a cabin out of the wood with a fire pit outside then replant the trees with native species

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[daveO]

I've got a permaculture book by Sepp Holzer which lists a really good range of old and hardy fruit vaieties. I can probably email you the lists if you want. As someone said though you may be better off checking soil conditions before getting too far. I planted a green gage last year which is supposed to be very hardy and it hasn't survived the cold spring followed by dry summer. It might not be soil problems that caused it but I should probably have checked.

I'd definitely get some damson and crab apple in the mix though if it was me.

 

[Pignut]

True enough and that is a very kind offer.

Soil tests may be in order then

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[wattsy]

most dwarfing rootstocks don't like having grass around their roots and too much will kill them I'd recommend keeping a 2 foot radius clear around each trunk. Ashridge trees have a large selection of old varieties I'd recommend Ashmead's Kernel, Ribston Pippin and Adam's Pearmain.

Regarding planting wild flowers in the grass if you grow them as plugs first until they're a fair size and then plant them they'll do much better than if you just chucked seed everywhere

cheers
Matt

 

[birchwood]

Re the fruit trees , get in touch with Brogdale at Faversham, Kent.
They are the national fruit collection center.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

I want the wild flower bit to be all native. I used to play here as a kid and can remeber grass hoppers. Spiders. Moths and butterflies. But there is nothing now.... I am also intending to cut down all of the lalandii (sp) build a cabin out of the wood with a fire pit outside then replant the trees with native species

Sounds like a fantastic project & something well worth doing.....if things go to plan I reckon you're going to create a litttle paradise there,

 

[chimpy leon]

You would need to know what the soil is like first. Its pH, constitution etc. Certain varieties are better suited to an acidic heavy loam soil than others. Then there is cross pollination compatability between the varieties.

I think a good foundation book on apple tree growing would be RHS fruit and veg growing pocket book just to see whats out there.

 

[British Red]

Its easy enough - look at the trees in Ashridge as Wattsy said - they have a good size guide too. We have twenty in and they are doing great Same with wildflower areas - one choice is to kill of the current grass, run a rotovator over and re-seed with a wildflower meadow mix

 

[Harvestman]

Elen Sentier reminded me that for all things horticultural the RHS website is not a bad place to look either. Lots of information.

You might also look at the Marcher Apple Network website.