So you think you can’t grow Apples and pears?
Then think again, says Sue Bradley. From top picks to pruning and planting pointers, our straightforward guide to these longed-for fruits has all you need to get started…
DID you know that the original Bramley apple tree, grown from a pip in the early 1800s, lived for more than 200 years before succumbing to honey fungus? While you might not get quite so much value from one planted today, fruit trees remain one of the best investments a gardener can make. Opt for an apple or pear tree and, in general, it will need little care and attention and will produce bountiful fruit crops.
When choosing, it’s worth spending some time researching the options before you commit. Get it right, and you will never look back; choose badly and you’ll have bags of fruit that nobody wants.
Key considerations are flavour and usage. Ask yourself: do you prefer something sweet or a more tart taste? And what are you growing the fruit for – eating straight off the tree or cooking? Storing, juicing or making cider?
Other factors are harvesting time and planting position – most varieties do best in sunny, sheltered spots but some can be grown in shadier conditions. Also consider the geographical location of your garden. Apples and pears achieve their sweetest notes in the drier, sunnier south and east, but that’s not to say that anyone living in areas with cooler climates cannot grow them – you’ll just need to select early- and mid-seasonripening varieties. Or find a favourable microclimate, such as a sunny spot against a south-facing wall. Pears are not a good option for the north west or far south west, however; gardeners in these areas would be better off opting for apples and plums instead.
Pollination partners
And don’t forget about pollination. While a few varieties are self-fertile, many need pollen from different trees to produce fruit, and that means having other apple or pear trees nearby.
The amount of space you have will help determine your options with regard to height and spread, and how you grow your trees. Training fruit trees takes time, but it offers good results even for inexperienced gardeners. The RHS gives clear advice on simple techniques, while there are books available and plenty of ‘how to’ videos online.
Ask an expert
For expert advice, try specialist nurseries. They can tell you the tree types to suit your needs – whether they’re ‘bush-trained’ or ‘half standards’ for standalone trees, or space-saving ‘step over’, cordon or espalier forms. It’s even possible to find options to grow in containers on patios, although these need a bit more looking after.
Pot-grown apple and pear trees are best planted between September and April, but bare root specimens are currently available that can be put into the ground from November to February. One-year-old bare root fruit trees, planted in late autumn or winter, can be trained the following spring.
Add a tree to your garden now and you’ll be picking your first fruit in around two years’ time, and enjoying the juicy dividends from your investment for decades to come.