Fruit tree - help

[justasmalltownmum]

My dc have asked for a fruit tree for their birthday next month.

We have cleared the space and the soil is "good".

We have never so much as planted a seed let alone a tree.

Which fruit tree is best for uk? Will peaches be ok? If I get a 5ft tree and plant it when does it actual start giving fruits? How big do these trees get?

Thanks!

Peach trees are tricky in the UK, they really need to be against a warm wall to ripen the fruit.

Perhaps a plum tree instead?

I was going to say plum tree. You will shortly have more than you know what to do with.

Anywhere you buy a tree will tell you the mature height and spread.

The UK isn't hot enough to grow peaches. Go for apples or plums if you want edible fruit. Also consider the prettiness of the blossom (albeit a brief period, good blossom is a true joy).

I don't have space for a fruit tree, but if I did I'd get a Tom Putt. I went to a local apple orchard which had specimens of many varieties and the Tom Putt blossom was the prettiest. But's it's a cooking, not eating, apple.

https://walcotnursery.co.uk/product/tom-putt/

A mirabelle (yellow plum) is very pretty and tasty.

The size they get to depends on the rootstock they are grown on, so the same fruit tree will grow to different sizes depending on the rootstock. So you have to check with the nursery how big it will get.

Ive ordered fruit trees online from Roots before and been happy with them. They usually sell each variety on a couple of options of root stock which controls the final size. It can take a couple of years for a young tree to bear fruit.
I’d say apples or plums would be a good choice, as long as you live near other people then chances are there’ll be fruit trees close enough to pollinate yours.
My neighbour grows apples, figs, pears, mirabelle plums and apricots in the UK. The pears always get pecked by birds before they can ripen so I wouldn’t bother with those.

Thankyou everyone. Looks like plums are winning.

I recommend eating apple variety Katy (after planting a little orchard of 25 different fruit trees).

A red eater, very prolific, thin skinned and juicy - appealing for children

The main downside with plum trees is they can attract wasps, particularly if the skin is damaged. All fruit will, but plums seem particularly bad for it. Depends on age of DC.

Peaches, nectarines, and apricots need warmth. I have a peach in my greenhouse in central Scotland, and get ripe fruit from it, so maybe a south facing wall in central London would be fine. But likely to be less rewarding for DC than something properly reliable.

Apple trees are great.

Pears take longer to fruit and are less productive.

You can get "family trees" where theres 3 varieties growing on one trunk, which might appeal to DC? By that I mean 3 different types of the same fruit (eg 3 kinds of apple). Blackmoors sell them, other plant nurseries do too.

We're in Canada in a climate similar to Scotland, cool and damp. We have an espaliered (growing on a wire against a wall) apple tree with 4 different varieties of apple. It works because it enjoys the heat of a sunny fence wall.

You can also get dwarf trees with different varieties grafted on the rootstalk. Talk to a local nursery to see what they have. They are nice to have in your yard.

Our mirabelle never particularly attracted wasps, even though there were loads around. Neither does our current (unknown variety, but huge) plum tree.

All fruit trees take several years to get going so it is best if you don't expect any fruit at all in the first year and a small crop in year two.

If you are only planting one tree, choose a variety that is "self fertile." This means it doesn't need a second tree to pollinate it.

If you are somewhere warm, a truly beautiful choice would be quince. Has absolutely lovely blossom and you can't buy quince in the shop.

Plums and apples are also great trees. I have a greengage on order for this year because they are getting harder to find in shops.

Ring RV Rogers in North Yorkshire, they will talk you through your soil and climate as well as how big you can eat your tree get and help you chose. You have a month to buy from them I think as they only sell bare rooted fruit trees untill the end of March.

We have an apple tree and two pear trees. For pear, they don’t self pollinate so you need two. We get loads of delicate apples every year, I would vote for apple

Apple trees don’t self pollinate either. Yours will be being pollinated by another tree in the area, apple or crab

How about a fig tree?

I believe it is best to plant fruit trees in the autumn. You might want to plan now but wait to plant. Or go for it asap but don't plant in June or July.

How about a 'family' fruit tree, two or three different varieties:

https://www.pomonafruits.co.uk/fruit-nut-trees/family-fruit-trees

It's the root stock which will determine how big/vigorous the tree will grow to. The ones above will eventually get to around 10 feet.

You made me doubt myself so I’ve now googled it. Apparently many, but not all, apple trees self pollinate, so you just have to check before buying one.

Thats interesting - I wonder if the wasps moved in after skin of plum was damaged then?

I hadn't realised that there were self fertile ones, that wasn't the standard advice when I was buying trees. I think the balance is slightly different from what you imply, otherwise one would wonder why apple breeders have gone to the effort of classifying apples into pollination groups to enable purchase of a pollination partner.

This gives a different slant "The vast majority of apple varieties are self-infertile but there are a few exceptions such as Red Windsor / Alkmene which are self-fertile - they do not require a pollination partner. However, fruiting and fruit quality is usually improved with a suitable partner."

There are a number of self-fertile fruit trees:

https://www.victoriananursery.co.uk/Self-Fertile-Apple-Trees/
https://www.jparkers.co.uk/fruits-vegetables/fruit-trees/plum-trees?page=1&limits=12&sort=RELEVANCE

Another way of solving the pollination issue is to have the main tree planted in the ground and have a second 'pollination partner' tree planted in a pot:

https://www.chrisbowers.co.uk/article/complete-guide-to-dwarf--miniature-fruit-trees/

Another way: do you know anyone else with fruit trees? We have some fruit trees without pollination partners in our garden. We also have fruit trees on our allotment. In spring we take a few branches with blossom from our allotment trees, put them in small bottles of water and tie the bottles into the trees.

What trees do your neighbours have? The pollination partner doesnt have to be in your garden.

The root stock (many fruit trees are grafted) determines how vigorously the tree will grow. This is how you will see the same variety described as dwarfing, semi-dwarfing etc.

When you first get a tree it will look like a very disappointing twig! Do warn your DCs, it will take a couple of years before it starts to look like a tree. Pears stay at the disappointing twig stage for longer (there is a saying Pears for your heirs). You will need to support the disappointing twig with a stake for a couple of years.

This time of year you can buy bare rooted trees. All year round you can buy pot grown trees.

Whatever you choose enjoy your new tree!