Patio Apple Trees

I was wondering if anybody has any experience with patio apple trees.

SPECIAL DEAL - Patio Fruit Tree - Compact Apple 'Braeburn' Tree

I was considering buying 1 for each my 3 step daughters as xmas presents. If I bought them now, I could grow them on before transplanting them in their final pots.

Any thoughts / experience would be appreciated.

G.

 

My trees arrived yesterday. I bought 3 apple trees as explained above and 1 pear tree to keep for myself.

They arrived in a sorry looking state but I guess it's to be expected trying to ship them during the recent heatwave.

I have repotted them and placed them where I want them to live for the time being.


They have been well watered and well mulched with old manure and bark chippings. I'm hoping that will be enough to bring them back to life. Any advice would be appreciated.

G.

 

Gary, with respect, heatwave or not they should be better than that. You should not be expected to “bring them back to life”

I would send an email with photos to the supplier.

Online suppliers are usually expert in dispatching plants so that they arrive in perfect condition. I would not be happy with that. I buy loads of plants online and even the most delicate of them arrive in pristine condition. If not I complain ASAP

 

To be honest, I’d have expected something better than that, even if they weren’t expensive. That’s not to say they won’t recover though. I’d say you’ve given them a good chance

 

The way the foliage looks on 2 of them is as if they were next to a strong source of heat, not just the warm weather. They look burnt. I would send photos to the supplier - it may be their courier that is at fault.

 

Yep, agree with CarolineL
Nothing whatsoever to lose in complaining and if the supplier is a reputable one will send out healthy replacements ASAP.
Courier or supplier fault is irrelevant ....the end product supplied is poor

 

I completely agree with Verdun here. Note that many online plant suppliers have comments on their websites saying that there may be delays due to the recent heatwave. Dispatching at the correct time and locating the best courier are both their problems IMO. The condition of the plants on arrival is simply substandard and entirely unacceptable.

Nick

 

IMHO. The trader has acted stupidly. What has become the custom when buying plants online is. The trader will usually post, despatch early in the week so as to avoid weekend delays. My dera friend send them back poste haste. Also it is basic practice to not only send out plants, trees, shrubs in containers, but also the whole plant is usually encloesed in a polythene bag type wrapper that will conserve a reasonable amount of moisture.. Send them back.

 

My new trees arrived and they are in much better condition. One of them even has apples on it.


I also got to keep the original ones which is just as well as I wasn't in a position to send them back. Some of those are showing new growth so I think there is a chance they will be alright.

Now having 4 new plants, I had to buy 4 new pots and 2 new bags of compost. That's an expense I could have done without at the moment. The other issue I have is siting them. I don't have anywhere to sit 8 trees. For now they will have to stay where they are. Hopefully the 3 best ones will be gone by spring. If the others pick up sufficiently they might be given away too at some point.

G.

 

Well done Gary ....well, it’s a nice problem to have isn’t it?
If more folks complained standards and quality would improve dramatically.
Maybe keep the best and give some away....any allotment friends?