PLANTING AN ORCHARD
SELECTING A SITE
Aspect
An open site that allows air circulation through the rows of trees, but is not exposed.
High winds cause cooler growing conditions:
- reduce fertilisation and the setting of the fruit
- damage to tree.
Adequate sunshine and warmth to encourage growth and fruit ripening
Sloping sites preferable
-drainage of cold air downslope
-better soil drainage
Low-lying sites have the disadvantage that:
-cold air collects in valleys and makes them prone to frost.
-On low-lying sites incorporate late flowering varieties of apple which flower after the latest frosts.
Soils
Most suitable soils for apples, pears and plums are deep and well drained with a p.h of 6.5 (p.h is a measure of acidity or alkalinity)
Assess the condition of the soil by digging soil pits at least 1 spade depth across proposed site.
The soil colour shows the history of drainage in the soil.
-Well drained soils indicated by a brown colours in the top and subsoil.
Badly drained soils are indicated by
-water collecting in the base of the soil pit
-orange and blue mottling in the subsoil.
-Plants of waterlogged soil. – rush.
Check for underground pipes or cables.
Fruit trees especially pears do not grow as well on thin soils over chalk compared to those grown on deeper soils.
-well drained because of free draining chalk bedrock
-chalk soils dry out rapidly in the summer and restrict growth
-chalk soils lock up nutrients such as iron and make them unavailable to the plant.
-Charles Ross, Crawley Beauty, Barnack Beauty particularly recommended for chalk soils.
Deeper soils over chalk in valleys can provide good growing conditions.
FRUIT ROOTSTOCKS
The choice of rootstock influences:
-size and vigour of the tree
-anchorage of the root system
-ability of the tree to absorb nutrients
Vigorous rootstocks provide:
- better anchorage
- root system which can absorb nutrients efficiently.
Dwarfing rootstocks provide greater control in the size of the tree and encourage earlier fruiting.
-weaker root systems have a poorer nutrient uptake
-less able to compete with weeds
APPLE
M26Semi-dwarfing. High yield of fruit. Resistant to collar rot. Can have severe burr-knotting at graft union.
M.116Collar rot resistant therefore more suitable for wet sites, 20% less vigorous than MM106.
MM.106Semi-vigorous. High yield of fruit. Good anchorage. Sensitive to collar rot
MM.111Vigorous. Very good anchorage. Less susceptible to collar rot.
M25Very vigorous. Grows to a large tree. Good on soils of only average fertility and damper sites.
PEAR
Quince CDwarfing with high yield of fruit. Poor anchorage. Trees require staking. Unsuitable for very heavy clay or thin chalk soil.
Quince ASemi-dwarf with good fruit yield. Unsuitable for very heavy clay or thin chalk soil.
Pyrodwarf More vigorous than Quince A. Early fruiting, resistant to fireblight. Likely to grow better on chalk.
Pyrus communisLarge vigorous trees.
PLUM
St Julien ASemi-dwarfing rootstock for bush
BromptonVigorous suitable for standard trees.
FRUIT VARIETIES
There are many varieties of fruit to choose from with great variation in taste and colour, and many with a long history of cultivation.It is worth growing fruit varieties which have a natural resistance to pests and diseases – Edward VII, Adam’s Pearmain, Ribston Pippin.
Avoid varieties which are disease prone - Cox’s Orange Pippin.
Some recommended varieties include:
ApplePearPlum/Gage
ADAM’S PEARMAIN BEURRE HARDYMARJORIES SEEDLING
ASHMEAD’S KERNELCONCORDEDENNISTON’S SUPERB
CHARLES ROSS CAMBRIDGE GAGE
EDWARD VII
LORD HINDLIP
ORLEANS REINETTE
RIBSTON PIPPIN
SUSSEX VARIETIES OF APPLE
There are 28 varieties of apple which are associated with Sussex.They have a distinctive shape, colour and history.Sussex apples include varieties like Saltcote Pippin, Duck’s Bill, Wadhurst Pippin, Alfriston, Tinsley Quince and Knobby Russet.
For availability of Sussex varieties: Peter May tel: 01273 475967 Patrick Treherne tel: 01435 87360
FRUIT TREE SUPPLIERS
Wholesale Supplier:
For large ordersRetail Supplier:
Trees for LifeKeepers Nursery
Berrington CourtGallants Court
Tenbury WellsEast Farleigh
WorcestershireMaidstone
WR15 8THME15 0LE
tel: 01584 810214tel: 01622 726465
POLLINATION
Apples flower in mid-to late Spring depending on season and variety.Most apple varietiesproduce pollen which will pollinate other apple varieties. Some cultivars are self-fertile - Crawley Beauty.
Diploidmeans the variety has 2 sets of chromosomes which divide at fertilization.A few varieties are triploid and have 3 sets of chromosomes and produce no viable pollen.
-Bramley’s Seedling, Ribston Pippin
Triploids require at least 2 compatible diploid cultivars planted nearby to ensure adequate pollination.
Pollination affected by late frosts.
- avoid frost hollows, low lying sites.
- select late flowering varieties. Edward VII, Crawley Beauty.
Apple cultivars are grouped together in seven flowering periods according to the time when they flower.Varieties should be planted together in blocks of the same or adjacent flowering period.
Plant pollinators to increase the amount of available pollen.
-Malus Golden Hornet, M.Evereste, M.aldenhamensis.
TREE PLANTING
5m for bush apple and 6m between the rows
9-10m for standard fruit trees on vigorous rootstocks and 9-10m between the rows.
Mark out planting positions before planting day and mark with labelled canes.
Trees should be 8m from boundary hedges to allow maintenance.
Bareroot trees are planted during the dormant period from mid-November until end of February.
Container grown trees can be planted throughout year provided they are irrigated.
Keep roots of tree to be planted covered and damp at all times.
Soak roots of tree in water for several minutes before planting.
Dig hole that allows the roots to be spread out and deep enough so that the tree will be at same depth as it was in nursery.
Separate out turf from topsoil and subsoil.
For bush fruit trees use 2, 1m 50cm stakes and for standard trees two 2m + stakes.
Irrigation tubing
Plant tree filling in with chopped up turf, topsoil and compost at base of hole, firming soil as hole is filled.
Do not put fresh manure in planting hole as this will scorch roots.
Subsoil is placed on last.
Attach tree to stake with 2 lockties
Protect base of tree against rabbits with wire mesh.
Mulch around base of tree with textile or keep weed free for 4 years.
Further information
Guidelines for the production of organic apples and pears in the United Kingdom. Soil Association
The Fruit Garden Displayed Harry Baker RHS
Materials
Toms Tree Ties. lockties.
Wire Mesh AVS Fencing
Chestnut posts. AVS Fencing
Woodlots
Wilderness Wood
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