What shall I place in this south facing corner? Apple cordon etc?

Afternoon all,

In my Winter 'de-clutter' of the garden, I have removed a Willow sat in the back right hand corner of our rear bed. I'm a keen gardener and wonder what the situation would be like to put in an cordonned apple tree?! The rear wall is South facing so could potentially train along the trellis/back wall. Any thoughts as to my proposal here? Is it suitable? Should be place a mini tree there instead?

The first pic is from the height of Summer, and the following two to give an idea of the rear bed.

Any assistance appreciated you kind bunch!

 

I'd go for a cordon apple on an M27 or M9 rootstock, stop it getting too tall.

Choose your variety carefully, no good growing an apple & then finding you don't like it.

 

What's the difference between cordonned and espaliered apples then please?

 

Cordon is either a single stem, or a U shaped double. Espalier is a central stem with 'arms' leading off it at regular intervals. There's space for an espalier, Sam. You wouldn't get much fruit off a single cordon. As well as suitable rootstock, you'd need to make sure you get a variety that is self-pollinating if your neighbours don't have apple trees.

 

Thanks Noisette, we learn something new every day.

 

Many thanks all, it's much appreciated.

Noisette, nope, our neighbours don't have any apple trees. I'm guessing then, that planting at the back corner where the central stem rises and arms can then be trained along the trellis and also the brickwork. Is that how you picture it?

A quick google brought up the following link with self fertile espalier ready apple trees. Any thoughts?

http://www.ornamental-trees.co.uk/search/espalier-self-fertile

http://www.readsnursery.co.uk/duo-cordon-apple-scrumptious-james-grieve/

 

Ideally, the main stem would be in the middle of the length of the wall with the arms trained horizontally either side of it. (IIRC, you need good strong wires fixed horizontally on the wall at 18" intervals). I've never seen one trained to form right angles, but it might work. What I would do is place some stepping stones through the bed in front, as you need easy access for training fruit trees, and you risk compacting the soil otherwise. Only you can decide what varieties to go for...what sort of apple do you like? I'm a sucker for Cox's Orange Pippin, but they're not easy to grow. Here are a couple of other nursery options....
http://www.blackmoor.co.uk/category/602/products/1001902
http://www.chrisbowers.co.uk/category/apples/

If you don't find a duo tree with the varieties you like, why not fix wires along both boundaries and plant a tree against each wall? You'd have easy access too on the lawn

 

Great response Noisette. Thanks. From what I've been reading today, it seems now is a good time to introduce an espalier(ed?!) apple tree, so I'll go ahead. I too am partial to a Cox's Orange Pippin but if they aren't easy to grow, maybe I should look at others..... are there tasty apples that ARE easy to grow in espalier format or do I just need to read up on it?

Finally, along the backwall is a beautiful climbing rose trained in. I'm guessing the introduction of an apple along there won't effect it other than potentially less light getting to it as the 'arms' extend? I think I will indeed try and use just one tree as the space is pretty small and go off at right angles! Stepping stones are indeed a great idea. Will complete that too for easy access!

 

Hi Sam, James Grieve is reliable, Greensleeves even better. Lord Lambourne is a good Cox type as are Sunset and Suntan. Jonagold, Fiesta, Braeburn...all well-flavoured if you can find them. Most apples straight from a tree have much more flavour than the shop-bought variety, especially if it's been flown halfway round the world and kept in cold storage for weeks. I used to use pheremone traps to stop codling moths which are the culprits responsible for maggotty apples, but spraying at the appropriate times works too. Might be worth having a look at the RHS website..their fruit advice is a counsel of perfection but still quite helpful.

 

Bosh - absolutely brilliant. A good weekends worth of investigation before making the purchase. Thank you

 

Morning all,

Further to th above, as I still haven't ordered and was getting conflicting opinions from nurseries, would the option of two cordons (M9 rootstock) placed as below be suitable. As before, it's south facing and nice and fertile!

Please excuse crude drawing. I'll copy this into the other fruit forum

Thanks in advance

 

Looks fine to me.

As mentioned earlier the important bit is to get a variety(s) that you like the taste of

Make sure you get a "tip bearer" edit: "non tip bearer" too, but hopefully anything sold as a Cordon will only be a variety that tolerates being grown like that

(I don't know a lot about this, so may have my facts crooked in which case someone will correct me, but my understanding is that Espallier, and thus I am presuming Cordon too, need to produce fruit on shoot that don't get pruned off - otherwise you get no fruit as a consequence)

 

Morning Kristen,

Thanks for the above. I have gone ahead and purchased 2yr 12l cordons of both Red Falstaff apple and Conference Pear, on M9 and Quince C rootstock respectively so will grow to a max of 2.5m and 3m after 10 years!

They are being delivered WC 3rd February so will go out straight away. I can't wait! I'm guessing even though it's a 2yr old tree, it'll take a year or two to fruit?

 

Might not (might get a few first year). However, if it were me I would take the fruit off for a year, or two, so the tree can concentrate on getting established.

Fruit trees are a good investment. Dunno what you paid, but assuming £15-20 each I checked the supermarket price and first thing that came up, just now, was £1.75 for 5 - so 35p each. At £20 you only need 57 Apples to break even. Not sure about a cordon, but I think once mature you'll get about half that each year! and for what? 20 years probably?

So, for me, I would be keen to get it well established for a long, healthy, productive life

Maybe let one ripen on each tree so you can double check the flavour - much better to replace it in year one, than wait three years to make that decision!

 

Im mildly inspired to do something similar - can I ask where you bought the trees from ?