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5 fruits grafted on 1tree - Your opinion & advice??
Sam50
Posts: 55
in Fruit & veg
I have come across a interesting concept to have one tree that provides 5 different varieties of fruit such a apple, will be five different variety apples.
Does any one have any advice? Or have one of these in any fruit type.
contemplating buying but appreciate advice first please.
DESCRIPTION
Perfect if you have only a limited space for growing fruit trees, but would love to have a wide range of delicious varieties to enjoy! Each of these trees has had several outstanding varieties grafted onto the single stem, so you can enjoy picking them all from just one tree! Self-fertile. Supplied in a 5 litre pot.Semi dwarf rootstock – height and spread 2-3 metres after 7 years.CHERRY- Five delicious varieties on a single tree!
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Posts
I don't see the point of them personally. I'd rather grow one or two separate types, but that's just me. I think all these things are gimmicky. Sorry!
Last edited: 29 May 2017 07:11:14
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
This kind of tree is usually called A Family Apple tree, useful if you only have a courtyard garden. The drawback that I know of is you damage any of the crafting points or any fail then you get a very odd looking tree. They also don't seem to fruit very well.
The family trees I think are something of a gimmic and not very productive.
If you have a limited space and want fruit trees why not consider growing them as cordons or espalier, much more pleasing to the eye and crop well.
I agree - i think they're a gimmick. Instead of getting the best out of each variety you frequently get the worst in my experience. There was a 'family' apple tree at my last place of work ... One of the varieties grew much faster than the other two producing a lopsided and uneven tree which needed quite complex pruning. according to former colleagues, now that I have retired and no longer prune the tree the vigorous variety has completely taken over.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I agree with the others; the theory is great but in reality it doesn't work well and will be very difficult to maintain.
cut to the chase.
How much would one cost?
Is there a big enough market for them? What market research has been done?
How old is the current oldest specimen and how does it perform.
Interesting post. I'd also been considering one of these because we don't eat a lot of apples (but we do eat some) and a tree which produces several smaller crops over, perhaps, several months and produces a mix of eating and cooking varieties is quite appealing.
I must admit I had not really thought about different growth rates
I had a long chat with one of the nursery men at Crown Nurseries near Ufford last year and he suggested one of these. As they specialise in fruit trees I thought it must be worth considering.
He was, however, suggesting that they would graft a tree for me with my choice of varieties. So I could try to pick ones with similar growth rates and different fruiting times. Maybe just 3 varieties on my choice of root stock.
Do you think that would be worth considering?
Last edited: 29 May 2017 08:50:19
Pure gimmick, as others have already said.
Most gimmicky of all is SAM VAN AKEN's Tree of 40 Fruit at http://www.samvanaken.com/works/tree-of-40-fruit
See also Huffington article about it here http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/24/tree-of-40-fruit_n_5614935.html
Topbird if you have different fruiting times you are going to have different blossoming times, not so good for cross pollination . No cross pollination no fruit.