Fruit trees, toms & greenhouses - any tips?

strandedinaber

Hi all,

I moved into a new house last year and inherited a lovely (albeit neglected) garden, already kitted out with a greenhouse base although no actual greenhouse. I also have a spattering of thornless blackberries, two pear trees, an apple tree and a plum tree.

I enjoy growing basic veggies and fruit and grew tomatoes, peppers and strawberries last year. They didn't do terribly well, in part because it was so wet last summer. The fruit trees were badly overgrown and I got pear rust early on - nothing came off anything that tasted good.

So now everything has been cut well back and I've purchased a pop-up greenhouse to keep the things in pots out of the rain and wind. The fruit trees have been getting a bit of fertiliser the past few weeks and I added new compost today as they're in large built-in pots.

Does anyone have any tips for me please? In particular on the fruit trees. I am much more confident on tomatoes etc because I can just move them or the greenhouse around if they aren't doing well.

ArbitraryRandom

Any chance of any pictures of any of the trees/fruit - then some here might be able to help identify varieties (or at least families) which might help with an idea of what you should expect if they're pampered a bit  

Farway

From your description would I be right to think the fruit tree are in pots & not the ground?

twopenny

Sounds like you are doing the right things.
I wouldn't worry about the rust too much. My raspberries were covered in it last year ror the first time ever.I guess you removed the debris from any where near them to get it as clean as possible? Maybe change the top 2" of soil.

Keep your eye on Gumtree, Freecycle and such locally for a greenhouse. You could even put out a request. People will be moving into new properties through the summer and many don't want a greenhouse.

strandedinaber

Thanks everyone for your responses

Photos below. To answer your question @Farway none are in pots in the traditional sense but some have pots built around them (although I think they're planted into the ground).

This is definitely a pear tree, and I'm about 60% certain it's a Packham's Triumph based on my RHS fruit and veg guide. This is the one that had the worst case of pear rust last year. I've been giving it some fertilizer over the past few weeks, but pondering digging out the stones and seeing what's underneath. I removed the debris @twopenny but not sure what else I can do. This one was the worst overgrown and had a significant cut back in the late autumn, so I'm hoping that will help.

This one's a plum tree based on what the previous owner told me, but it never fruited last year - I understand this isn't uncommon though. As this one is in the ground, it's also been getting some fertiliser the past few weeks.

These three are the ones in 'pots' and I think are, in some order, two apple blossoms and one pear tree - although the last one also didn't fruit last year so could be anything! These ones had new compost added a few days ago and then gravel reapplied because otherwise they'll get used as a cat litter tray. They suffered very badly with weeds (mostly stinging nettles) last year which I've been battling the last few months, so I'm hoping that will improve matters.

Definitely keeping an eye on gumtree and marketplace for greenhouses @twopenny. The main issue is that I'm not fitting any kind of greenhouse in my renault clio, but I've driven vans before so happy to hire one for an hour or so.

Farway

Thanks for pics.

The non-fruiting plum could be because it is not self fertile, needs another plum, or did it do like mine did, set fruit, but then they all fell off over time?

Bottom tree, the bark & blossom look very much like a cherry, again if non-fruiting could be lack of a pollinator, but if a cherry the birds will have them anyway

Generally if they flower but no fruits it's pollination problems, which can just be cold winds & wet at blossom time

For fertiliser a good choice is Blood, fish & bone, apply anytime now. 

Cheapest currently is Home Bargains. You'll need to rake / mix it into the top bit of soil because it is what it says and animals may think it's dinner.

PS, the second from top tree, against wall trellis. I can't quite see, but it looks like it has thorns, does it? If so, the rootstock, quince, has taken over , and you need to get it out and plant another named tree or whatever for the space.

strandedinaber

Farway said:

Thanks for pics.

The non-fruiting plum could be because it is not self fertile, needs another plum, or did it do like mine did, set fruit, but then they all fell off over time?

Bottom tree, the bark & blossom look very much like a cherry, again if non-fruiting could be lack of a pollinator, but if a cherry the birds will have them anyway

Generally if they flower but no fruits it's pollination problems, which can just be cold winds & wet at blossom time

For fertiliser a good choice is Blood, fish & bone, apply anytime now. 

Cheapest currently is Home Bargains. You'll need to rake / mix it into the top bit of soil because it is what it says and animals may think it's dinner.

PS, the second from top tree, against wall trellis. I can't quite see, but it looks like it has thorns, does it? If so, the rootstock, quince, has taken over , and you need to get it out and plant another named tree or whatever for the space.

Thank you so much, that's really helpful. I'm near a Home Bargains so will head there in the next day or so. And that's good to know re. raking it in, as the cat will definitely go for it.

Re. the second from top tree is the one that I think I was told was a plum tree, but I'm increasingly convinced the map I was given was referring to the one next to it (last photo) and they'd forgotten about that one. I'm not certain whether it has thorns or not - see photo below. They look quite long for thorns to me and there are 'branches' of a similar length that are budding, but I think they are there.

I'm wondering if they're cherry plums, which according to some websites has thorns, but others say it means the rootstock has taken over. https://www.treeguideuk.co.uk/mini-guides/thorns/ and https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/cherry-plum/. I think either way I'll leave them be this year other than fertilizing and see what they do - will focus on my apples and pears.

Thank you so much for your help

twopenny

It does look like a quince but depending on what you want to do with the garden it will bloom early and beautifully.

What a treat to get established and contained fruit trees like that 

Alkmund2

Fruit trees are great in a garden and usually reliable. Some comments triggered by the original posting. Wet warm(ish) summers increase disease risk, some locally adapted varieties can therefore help if choosing new trees. Fruit trees commit to flowering in the autumn and a heavy crop of fruit in the autumn will negatively feedback on flower commitment and so reduce flowering and therefore fruiting the following year. This leads to a two year cycle of heavy and light yields, called biannual bearing. Apple trees are self infertile so will need another variety that flowers at the same time so they can both be fertilised and bear fruit. Those other varieties could also be near by in a neighbours garden. Pears usually have some self fertility but can benefit from another variety to increase yields whilst plums are also usually self fertile. Plums also flower before producing leaves, earlier than apples and pears, and so are more prone to late frosts or cold temperatures that slow down pollen tube growth and reduce the number of pollinators that are active. Plum fruiting can therefore be more erratic. Pruning is really important both in timing (including to reduce subsequent disease risk) and in ensuring that branches can support the fruits as they develop and become heavy. Good advice on pruning is available online, for example from the RHS and BBC gardening programme websites often with videos.

Regarding greenhouses I would suggest using toughened glass rather than horticultural glass in a garden if possible, the extra cost is offset by the reduced risk of breakage and subsequent clear up and replacement of broken panes. Greenhouses are excellent for extending the growing season and for protecting plants from the elements, especially when growing tomatoes, strawberries and (chilli) peppers. It also allows you to be (working and drinking tea) in the garden when its tipping with rain.

strandedinaber

Thanks @Farway, @twopenny and @Alkmund2 - all really really helpful comments! Particularly on your point about biannual bearing @Alkmund2 - I had a really heavy yield of pears last year (even though none of them ripened to the point they were edible) so won't worry if I get a much lighter crop this year. The pear trees have started flowering this week which is nice to see anyway I'll watch the plum trees/quince trees carefully this year and see what they do!

Alkmund2 said:

Greenhouses are excellent for extending the growing season and for protecting plants from the elements, especially when growing tomatoes, strawberries and (chilli) peppers. It also allows you to be (working and drinking tea) in the garden when its tipping with rain.

50% of the reason why I want a greenhouse is because I was so miffed at how poorly my tomatoes did last year - it was just too wet for them. I ended up with mushrooms growing in some of the pots. The other 50% is absolutely because I want to be able to drink tea in the rain. Unfortunately I think a proper greenhouse is many years off still. My lawn is basically a bog at the moment, so the first available pennies for the garden will go on sorting that out.

Thanks everyone for all of your help - it's much appreciated Happy gardening!

-taff

I got my first greenhouse for fiffty quid and dismantled and mantled it myself...One i got for nothing on fbmp. The latest one I got from my father who wombled it from someone else and it's 8 6. Freebies or cheapies exist, just keep an eye out. My first one was set on slabs, this current one is on a concrete base that was already there and some sleepers ot raise the height...Where there's a will, there's a way I've not had one that had earth inside if you know what I mean, always pots, so that made it easier to do for me...