Trained Apple Trees

I want to buy a few apple trees for both my garden and my allotment and have a few questions before I take the plunge.

First of all I want to grow a row of cordons on my plot. However the plot is at the top of the hill and quite windy as a result. Do any other members think this could be a problem? Other plot holders have step overs or bush trees and wondered if there was a reason for no one doing this.

I also want to grow a espalier at home and would like this to be a cooker apple. However it seems Bramley's won't fruit as an espalier and wondered if there was another cooker I could grow instead.

Thanks everyone

 

My garden is quite windy, just down from the top of a hill, and I grow cordon apples. They will probably need a stronger frame and wires than in a more sheltered position. It would probably help to plant so the prevailing wind blew along the row rather than across.
Among the cordons I grow is a Bramley, it crops fairly well, but even on a dwarfing rootstock it is pretty vigorous compared to my other cordons and so requires more pruning.

 

I can highly recommend Howgate Wonder and Lane's Prince Albert as espalier cookers. Had them trained like that on a shaded trellis under pine trees which is far from ideal, but they both produced huge, tasty fruit!

 

Generally speaking it might be an idea to invest in some windbreak fencing if you can stretch to it Jane

Saying that, one of the best cropping wild trees I know is on the top of Turn Hill above the levels



Don't get much more exposed than that.

 

Thanks everyone.

Any recommendations on where I can buy them from? I visited a few sites but wonder if there is cheaper/better deals out there...

 

Ok so after much thought (headaches) I have whittled it down to these 5 varieties of apple to grow on my plot. Have found an ebay shop that sells these varieties on an MM106 rootstock.

Spartan
Golden Delicious
Braeburn
Jonagold
Cox's Self Fertile (there seems to be so many cox varieties I find it confusing).

The cooker which I will be growing at home I've yet to decide upon but will probably go with a howgate wonder.

 

Good choices, JJ! The Cox will need a lot of TLC though.....they're not the easiest variety. Some sources recommend 'Sunset', 'Suntan' et al as substitutes. Is the variety 'Ariane' available over there? It's been specially bred for disease resistance and has a good flavour.