Aldi Fruit Trees £3:99 in store now

SailorSam

lution wrote: »

Great, i'll take a lookin my local Aldi. Would love a Victoria plum to go on the lotty, is it best to have two like apple trees?

I've got a Victoria Plum, must be about 10yrs old now and get loads of fruit, i don't think there are any others in the area so sure one would do you.
What about the peach, does anyone how it would be on it's own up here in the north ?

prettyflamingo

so with a bramley would i need another apple tree to pollinate? or could i risk it and see whether i get any fruits from possible surrounding trees pollinating it?
also it does look like the trunk has been grafted on mine, though i suppose this may just be a removed larger side shoot, does anyone know whether you can train these espalier style to fit in smaller gardens or do i need specific types of trees for this? thanks!

blossomhill_2

Thanks for the tip off - we rushed over there and got some beauties, lovely condition

jpscloud

They're going fast! Not much left in my two local Aldis. I got a morello cherry and a stella cherry (stella was the last one left!) Now just planning where to plant them - I'm wondering about mature size too. I think I'll err on the side of caution and plan for them getting quite big.

Can they go straight in the ground, does anyone know? From what I read so far they can, and I think the worst of the winter weather is over now here.

ETA SailorSam, don't want to put you off trying but my Mum found a peach tree nearly impossible - it did fruit, but ripening is a problem up here (I'm not far from you, in Cheshire). It also got peach leaf curl disease. If my Mum gives up on it, it must be bad!

RAS

Hi

Get them into the ground now as long as you are not frozen solid.

More important to get them out of the warmth, roots moist and tops cold than to plant them properly.

Then prepare proper planting holes and get them in their permanent home sometime in the next month.

RAS

SailorSam wrote: »

I saw them in £stretcher and was waiting until i went to Morrisons 'cos they usually have good buys, but may try to get to Aldi now.
I like the idea of a Peach but imagine it's to cold up here.

Red Haven is supposed to be OK up here.

One of my fellow plot holders had so many fruit on her (un-named) peach tree that one of the branches snapped last summer.

And a friend does quite nicely in sunny Tayside, although that tree is in a walled courtyard.

RAS

lution wrote: »

, is it best to have two like apple trees?

If you are planting the tree on the plots, other people will have apple trees and one of them will be enough for pollination (except bramley and the other triploids). So you should be fine.

If you want two apple trees, buy different varieties.

RAS

prettyflamingo wrote: »

does anyone know whether you can train these espalier style to fit in smaller gardens or do i need specific types of trees for this? thanks!

Yes for apples, because every summer you will be removing masses of green growth so they can be kept with bounds.

You need to plant it and then cut the main stem back to 45-60cms. Allow the top new shoot to grow upwards and train the next two shoots at 45 degrees. Remove any other sideshoots.

Having said this, if I did it again, I would grow cordons not espaliers. You get more trees per 3 metres that way.

jpscloud

Ras many thanks for the info - I'll get them planted this week then. Hope I get some blossom this year - not expecting cherries, I guess that would be too much to ask!

Although it's well above freezing now, I went to get some compost out of a new sack which had been standing upright leaning against a sheltered wall, for potting up bare rooted tayberry and redcurrant - only the top two inches or so was thawed, the rest is still frozen solid!

RAS

jpscloud wrote: »

Ras many thanks for the info - I'll get them planted this week then. Hope I get some blossom this year - not expecting cherries, I guess that would be too much to ask!

Although it's well above freezing now, I went to get some compost out of a new sack which had been standing upright leaning against a sheltered wall, for potting up bare rooted tayberry and redcurrant - only the top two inches or so was thawed, the rest is still frozen solid!

In that case, get the trees outside and pour a little water (couple of spoons full) into the bag to keep the roots moist but not wet.