Fruit trees

Just planted an Opal plum tree, bare root, £7.99 in the Range. They have apple, pear, plum and cherries. Tesco has 2 for £12 but they only had Victoria plums and I fancied Opal. Can't go wrong if you have the room. My plum is on St. Julian A stock growing 3 to 5 metres but you can prune them to some extent.

 

Sounds good value. Did you notice if any were on dwarf stock?

 

Hi, I am new to the forum and joined to see if anyone knows which supermarkets have bare root fruit trees. I have just moved to Woking, Surrey and wonder if anyone has local knowledge of the likely contendrs and what varieties are being offered. Thanks

 

Hi and Welcome to the Forum,

Noticed even some bigger Tesco having a collection of them by the entrance last week, but as they are likely to go quickly you really need to pop in regularly to see what thay have in that day.
B&M, The Range and some other the Pound shops may have them in your area.

The problem with such fruit trees that some are not well known types so it can be hard to know how good they are to eat or grow.

Are you after a smaller Cordon type or something larger ?

If you want better quality plant often better buying direct from a nursery.
eg just one of many well known ones - Apple Trees For Sale - Chris Bowers

 

Woking is fairly close to several very large garden centers and greenhouse nurseries. You are 20 minues from Longacres Bagshot which is huge, and has a nice resteraunt as they all do nowadays. Your best bet in person pricewise is there, assuming you can drive there!

 

Thank you Ricky and Adam,

Probably after something on a dwarfing rootstock, Have had good smaller trees for my last home from Aldi/Lidl. Tesco plum got HUGE and was unpickable, even by the kids, by the time it fruited. Never found a prob with varieties.

Two main problems are transport and budget. So the big mail order firms are probably out, and historically I have found paying more on plants and delivery has by no means given better trees, in fact I have been sent pretty contorted things in the past from the big boys. I will have a look at the website of the nursery you suggest Adam. At least with that option you can choose a straight plant with a sound graft. There are no shortage of nurseries around here but the £££ is mega!

 

Sorry for the late reply, Hanglow.
I don't think any were on dwarfing stock. Most would grow to be half standard trees with a 4 to 5ft trunk I think. Probably the dwarfing rootstocks are more expensive.

I have a friend with a streamside garden which has very sticky clay so many plants fail. All her shrubs have been from supermarkets as she had little money when she moved in 20+ years ago. She has a lovely garden with flowering cherries, acers, mahonias roses and a Discovery apple all doing well. Mostly common varieties but they are common because they are tough.

 

A bit late now but if you buy maiden bare root trees online ( I have used Buckingham Nurseries in the past). they are cheaper and they soon catch up. I planted Beth and Concorde pears and trained them into espaliers to make a fence and they started fruiting in a couple of years. They are 23 years old now and still fruiting, especially the Beth. I have to thin out the fruits. Lovely tasting pear but not a keeper. I chop them up and freeze for pies and crumbles.