This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Apple tree against a wall
Supernoodle
Posts: 954
...grow my currently potted apple tree against a wall?
It's a falstaff, m26 rootstock, planted winter before last, not yet been allowed to fruit. Looks like I could manage to get it "flat" without removing too many branches Any reason why not to try to espalier it?
0
Posts
I've did a pear and an apple about a month ago an they weren't much smaller than yours, by the look of it.
Cheers Lisa and Verdun. Seems like a plan then. Think I roughly understand, Verdun. Can anyone recommend a guide - a book or online?
The main reason is it's on an M26 rootstock. I think you mean m27 but then again I wouldn't you want an M9 or MM106 for an espalier. But I've even learned that M27 isn't much use for pots. It's just not vigorous enough. I'm going to change my one onto an MM106, that will mean inarching the new rootstock. Might be easier to start from scratch. I would just enjoy your tree as it is, especially since it's so lovely. Buy another Maiden or two in November (that's only six months away) from one of the many good suppliers on line.
By the way, for How To's - You Tube.
Hi Snoodle - Reads is a superb fruit nursery local to you and I, and their website is fantastic - they've just revamped it and included some great How To videos including one on espaliering apples and pears - have a look
http://www.readsnursery.co.uk/how-to-videos/
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Evening Dove! I was going to ask whether there was a view on Reads - I'd come across it and was thinking of using them for setting up my fruit patch (next year). I think I've actually changed my mind and will put the tree in open ground, saving the wall space for kiwi and maybe a grape. So indecisive... Ho hum....
I was weeding by mine today and just happened to notice that the rootstock looks dead! So, I've had to do some emergency inarching using a couple of rootstocks I thankfully had left. I'd have like them to have been a bit more substantial but it's all I had.
You can't really see the original rootstock on these photos but the main part of it was definitely dead. I'm hoping there was some other roots attached enough to keep the main part of the tree alive long enough for the new MM106's to take over. Fingers crossed. I don't want to lose my little Spartan.
Sorry SN I said your tree probably wasn't on m26 I was confusing m26 with m25, M26 is between M9 and MM106 so ideal for pots and would be okay for an espalier.
Jim - that looks highly technical and very interesting
Can you explain how you did that please?
Snoodle - I've had some really good trees and bushes from Reads. I recommended them to Alan 4711 and I know he's impressed with them too.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.