Apple - Charles Ross - good idea?

Hello

Last year I moved housed and spent most of the summer removing sheds, Wendy houses and concrete. In the autum I did manage to plant the Silver Birch and Apple trees I had promised myself!

The planted apple is a Worcester Pearmain and I would very much like to plant a second apple before spring. Charles Ross seems like a good companion for the W.P.

Here's my questions:

1. I understand I should plant trees in the autum when growth is slowed / stalled but the soil still has some warmth. Will it be o.k. to plant an apple tree in, (this mild), January?

2. My garden is almost only lawn and I'm V keen to get things going! Would it be foolish to try to buy a semi mature apple tree?

3. There are a bewildering number of potential suppliers - any reccomendations?

Thank you very much for reading this,

Stephen.

 

Hello again, Stephen! Glad you've got through all the destructive bits, and on to the fun stuff now.

1. - is the tree bare-root or in a container? With bare-root you plant any time through the winter, assuming the ground isn't actually frozen. Containers you can pplant at tany time, but the advice you've been given is sensible. I'd say it would be perfectly ok to plant now, whichever it is, again, so long as the ground isn't frozen.. It will certainly do better there than left in a container.

2. You'd have to stake it well to give it a good chance to let the roots establish themselves well. Generally speaking, the younger the tree when you plant it, the better it will be long-term.

3. I used Butterworths in Auchinleck, Ayrshire, but there seems to be a problem with getting on the website at the moment. Here's a link to several possibles, including them....
http://www.orchard-group.uklinux.net/glos/nurseries.html

I phoned them, and they were very helpful, and can deliver anywhere in Britain I believe. Try giving them a ring - the number is on that link.

 

I agree with dendy, one thing that I would add is that we have had a fair amount of rain lately, and if the ground is not free draining, the tree if planted now could sit in a sump of water for the next couple of months or more.
If your planting now, by rights you should make sure you dig a largish root area over, so as not to cause a sump for the water to drain into.

 

Thanks both for your replies.

That link to nurseries was great as was the warning about planting a tree in to the current water table.

I have a birthday approaching so will mumble to my wife about Charles Ross and internet favourites. It will be very interesting to see what turns up!

Thanks again,

Steve.

 

Charles Ross should be a good variety to use with Worcester Pearmain, they are in the same pollination group.
A good top fruit supplier is Deacon's of the Isle of wight.
http://www.deaconsnurseryfruits.co.uk/home/
Personally I would go for a younger tree. They are soon cropping and a lot of cheaper. Then you can afford several. You can plant bare root any time during the winter. I would not touch pot grown trees. Waste of money and overpriced. Bare rooted will always establish better in my experience. Pot grown trees are for those who want instant gratification.