Patio Apple trees

[almondflake]

Can anyone recommend small apple trees for a patio that are happy to live in pots ?
I would love a heavy cropping tree possibly 3 different varieties to include a baking apple and a couple of eaters. I have seen a few on nursery sites but I’d really love some personal recommendations .
Many thanks ☺️

No small tree that's happy to live in a pot will be a heavy cropper, and nothing you're describing will live for very long unless you're very lucky. Any of the grafted-together 'trio' types you can buy in a nursery will do you what you're asking, but I'd limit your expectations a bit. They're a gimmic.

@SarahAndQuackThanks for your reply , I’m new to fruit growing, more successful with plants and basic veg and salad growing . It looks like I’m after a unicorn , I’ll look at what you suggested . 😁

I'm just wary of them! They are under a lot of strain because of being kept in a pot and grafted together, and cooking apples (especially) really want to grow on a big sturdy tree. They are a bit of fun if you have children, but very often the yield is disappointing. A patio eater - maybe discovery, which is naturally small, might do better.

You are looking for a tree grafted onto an M27 rootstock. The so called 'family' trees are difficult to maintain as the different cultivars grow at different rates, making it challenging to get a balanced tree. It is possible to grow in pots but you must be vigilant about getting the potting mix right, as well as watering and feeding. Try looking at Orange Pippin Trees or Frank Matthews. Orange Pippin have helpful guides and are responsive to an email.
If you could grow them in the ground so much the better and you could look at trained forms such as step overs and cordons.

Thank you both for the great information it’s been most helpful 😁

Do you have any space in the garden, or no garden at all? There is a 'ballerina' apple which in linear and doesn't have (or minimal) side shoots so compact in the sense it tall and thin. I don't know of any specific variety, nor know what the cropping is like, but might be an option to also look into. They can be grown in pots too, but like anything, the larger the pot the better they'd do.

My neighbour has an apple tree and a pear tree in pots on her patio. The plants are doing fine in pots, but they don't produce much in the way of fruit. 4 or 5 at the most I think she said.

Are there any crab apple trees happy in a pot?

If it helps as an alternative to patio pots, we have two espaliered apple trees right up against our fence in the garden, planted in the flower bed, spreading over the fence / wires strung up along the fence. Wanted apple trees but we have a fairly small and narrow garden and were also prioritising space for kids to play! They work great and we get a decent crop. We have one James Grieve and one Bountiful. But ask for advice on which work best in your type of soil etc perhaps?
Also our cooking apples are also good for eating - dual purpose are a good idea!

Eta - our “espalier” trees aren’t nearly as tidy and difficult to shape looking as some of the very beautiful and organised pictures you’ll see online!