Fruit trees

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silverwhistle said:

I noticed some decent looking trees in a B&M with a garden centre for £6 (I think, and an offer for two). I fancy a pear - I noticed they had Conference - but not really got any space. Would it do in a pot and, if so, what size?

I have seen pear trees doing well in those half barrel type pots.

Farway

duncanthedog said:

silverwhistle said:

I noticed some decent looking trees in a B&M with a garden centre for £6 (I think, and an offer for two). I fancy a pear - I noticed they had Conference - but not really got any space. Would it do in a pot and, if so, what size?

I have seen pear trees doing well in those half barrel type pots.

And you could train it to keep it in bounds.

I have one, in the ground, but have trained it sort of espalier horizontal and keep it at head height

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It's all in the pruning

peewhyeff

Seen today in Poundstretcher  £6.99 each.  Apple, pear, plum and cherry....in various varieties.  Some with visible buds or leaves.

madlyn

I have just been onto the Lidl website and they have fruit trees coming in on the 11th.
Going to give blueberries a go.

maxsteam

The last week of February seems to be one time to find cheap fruit trees in the shops. Aldi are advertising them but the branch I visited is maybe too small and had none. There happens to be a HomeBargains next door with plenty in stock for £5.99 but again, not every HomeBargains has a garden area. I got a nicely shaped 5ft pear tree. I will discover in the next weeks if it's alive. I will save the receipt and return it if it doesn't produce leaves. I don't expect much fruit in the first year.



I might keep mine in a pot for the first year but my guess is that the rootstock will be unsuitable to spend its whole life in a pot. If you want something for a pot, it's better to get dwarf or patio verities. I bought this selection recently....

https://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/dwarf-patio-pillar-fruit-trees-mini-orchard-collection-6-different-trees

It's too early to recommend but £30 for 6 trees is a very good price although the trees have been trimmed quite roughly. These particular trees are likely to do well in a pot if they are pruned back each winter to little more than the trunk.

RAS

If you want to know if your tree is alive, scrape the bark on a branch gently with your thumb nail or the back of a knife.

Green underneath - alive. 

Brown dead but check closer to the roots before you bin it. 

Found some very cheap fruit bushes in the "pound" shop, newly in and green without new growth forced by the heat of the shop. I suspect that one is not what was described, but we'll see.

Farway

I never saw any fruit trees in Home Bargains mid week, which was just as well because I have no more space but I bet one would've fallen into my trolley, a 99p Red lupin did

twopenny

I'm so pleased with my dwarf cherry that I'm hoping to find others that small. That was Tescos in a pot.

I have heard that the larger fruit trees from the superstores may not be what they are labled as. But then  I like a surprise and if you are going to grow a tree, one with flowers and fruit makes sense.

And who knows, it may be something delicious.