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If space is limited, or you don't have a garden, it is perfectly feasible to grow fruit trees in pots for the patio. Though the situation is very different with respect to trees in soil, trees in pots can crop successfully.
Like Bonsai trees, fruit trees will adapt to the room available. We specialise in fruit trees of all shapes and sizes: we can provide the consultancy to successfully grow a tree in a pot.
If necessary, we can do the entire job for you. We can help you in the choice of the right tree variety and rootstock, deliver the tree(s) to your door, together with the right size and sort of pots or containers, plant the tree in the pot, and place it where you want it.
A fruit tree consists of a rootstock, onto which is grafted the variety
of fruit. The best rootstock for the average garden is MM106, but if
space is limited, EMLA 9 may be more suitable. In fact the rootstock
determines the final tree size.
It should be remembered that different fruit varieties generate differing
tree shapes. For example, apple trees are naturally more spreading,
while pears and plums tend to be more vertical in their growth.
Tree development
First year after planting
If
the tree has been properly planted, and grass and weeds are kept at
bay in the area in which tree roots are trying to become established,
new shoot growth should appear during the summer months (the tree will
have been planted during dormancy, from December to March). This new
shoot growth is the material available to form the tree’s permanent
framework as shown in the diagram. Shoots 1, 2 and 3 are new shoots.
Shoots 4 and 5 are those already present on a 2-year old tree when planted.
At this early stage, pruning should be absolutely minimal, because pruning
delays cropping. Minimal pruning is recommended for years 1, 2 and 3
after planting.
Second year after planting
These
operations should be carried out in the period from December to March.
Branches 1, 3 and 6 in the diagram should be tied down and spaced out
using string running from the base of the stake. The leading branch
2 should be left upright. Branches 4 and 5 are tied down almost flat,
and they will become the first cropping wood.
Framework branches 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 should be pruned only if growth
has been weak. In this case, they should be cut back by a third of their
length. The central leader should be pruned so that it is no higher
than the length of a secatur above the average height of all the upright
branches.
Third year after planting
As
shown in the diagram, continue to build the crown of the tree by spacing
the branches for maximum light utilization, again by tying down branches.
The tree will now be cropping.
Another useful tree pattern in situations of limited space is the espalier.
In the espalier system, the tree comprises a central stem and horizontal
fruiting branches. It is very important to train the tree correctly
in order to achieve a tree that produces good fruit on all the horizontal
branches for the next 20 years or so. The points set out below are the
fundamental principles that should be followed to achieve that objective.
Do not train the branches - bringing them down to a near horizontal
position - until the sap in the tree is running vigorously. This means
that training can be performed from around mid-May.
In
the first year of training, you will form the first tier of the espalier,
and therefore you will create a tree with three branches: the two
side branches, and the upward leading branch. In mid-May, tie the
two lower side branches to an angle of about 60 degrees (from the
horizontal). At this stage, you can remove all other competing branches
from the tree, so that growth will be concentrated in the three branches
you need (fig. 4).
Wait until the second week of August, and only then, lower the two
side branches to the horizontal. This delay in timing is very important.
If you lower the branches to the horizontal position too early in
the growing season, the upright vertical leading branch will absorb
all the nutrients and the first tier of the espalier will be too weak
in future years.
During
the last week of August, remove all surplus upright growth from the
espalier frame work. Then cut a notch in the upright branch above
the first horizontal tier, at a height corresponding to where you
would like the next tier to be formed the following year. This is
usually about 18 inches above the first tier. The depth of the notch
should be about a third of the thickness of the upright branch. It
stimulates the tree to produce branches at exactly that point.
The
following year, build the next layer of the espalier, following the
same routine as the previous year (fig. 5). Prune in Spring as shown
in fig. 6.
The following August, establish the final tier of the espalier, selecting two branches and training down to a 90 degree angle (fig. 7).
The
tree should be fertilized with a tree feed such as “Growmore”, following
the instructions on the package. Spread the product evenly over an
area of 3 square feet around the trunk .
During the growing season (May-October), keep the area under the tree canopy free from weeds, and from grass in particular.
Only prune in the winter once the tree is in full production and therefore
is in need of spur replacement.
A common mistake, and one that can have serious consequences, is forcing
the tree to grow upwards too quickly, without giving enough time to properly
establish the lower limbs of the espalier. The most useful espalier which
requires least maintenance in later years, is a tree in which the diameter
of the lower arms are of double thickness compared to the top arms of
the espalier. Good quality fruit is then produced at all levels of the
espalier, and not just on the top layer.
This can be achieved by means of skilful pruning, bearing in mind
that shoots in an upright position always grow more strongly than
more horizontal ones.
We can supply
apple varieties suitable for espaliered trees. The varieties available
for planting next autumn are:
James Grieve, Lord Lambourne, Greensleeves, Laxton Fortune, Ashmead
Kernel, Peasgood Nonsuch, Rubinette, Egremont Russet, Blenheim Orange,
Red Pippin and many others.
Stone fruit trees – those mentioned in the title – are often more suited to fan training than espalier or open bush patterns. This to a degree depends on the vigour of the trees and the place where they are going to be planted.
The fan is really
a variation on the espalier, except that instead of being held horizontally,
branches are trained into a flat fan shape, with two main branches growing
outwards at 45°. This angle makes it easier to control growth, when
compared with the espalier. In addition, over a number of years the
number of branches in the fan can reach from 8 to 10, ensuring good
light penetration into the tree structure.
If
the tree you are using is a one-year old tree, cut it back to 15 inches
above soil level. This should be done in February/March. Remember to
seal the pruning cuts with a sealing compound to prevent infection by
the spores carrying various tree diseases.
In early June (see fig. 8), select two strong growing shoots, close
to the tip of the tree, and tie them to canes set at an angle of 45
degrees. Remove all other shoots. Always use bio-degradable
tying materials, to prevent the risk of the ties growing in and strangling
the two selected branches. As the two branches develop further during
the growing season, tie them again along the upper part of the bamboo
canes.
If
the two trained branches have grown well, in the following February,
cut both branches back to twelve inches from the point where they started
to grow last February (fig.9). This will provide in total 10 buds, which
we will now use to develop the main frame of the fan shape. New shoots
will start to grow from these buds. Select four shoots on each side
of the fan and tie them again on bamboo canes set out in such a way
that they fill the fan space over the 180-degree arching area available
(see fig. 10 below). However, leave the centre of the fan unoccupied,
in order to maintain good growth in the basic framework.
Once this has been successfully completed, cropping will follow, mainly
on one year-old wood. Once that wood has carried a crop, it needs to
be cut out to make room for the new one year-old wood. The best time
to do this is not during the winter months, but immediately after the
crop has been picked. If any sub laterals develop, cut them back to
3 to 4 inches, if there is room available.
The cordon system of tree training
Where space is limited, most apples and some pear varieties are suitable to be trained as cordons. A cordon is a tree planted at an angle of 45 degrees, supported and trained along a fence or a wall. Along the wall or fence, horizontal wires are positioned at a height of two, four and six feet. A six-foot bamboo cane is fastened to the wires at a 45-degree angle, at two-foot intervals. These trees are based on the maintenance and supply of short laterals along the main stem of the tree. The first laterals should be in place at approximately 40 cm above soil level. It is essential that the union of the tree is 1.5 to 2 inches above the soil level. For very deep and fertile soils, the M9 rootstock is suitable. However for most situations, M26 is the best rootstock for a cordon tree. On very hungry soils, it might be possible to use the stronger stock MM106 to good effect.
Plant the trees 60 cm apart after having made very sure the soil does not lay wet during the winter or summer months. If drainage is faulty, the trees will suffer badly from tree canker. As a result, the life of the tree is short and the fruit will have a short shelf life. It is also essential that the soil is well prepared in advance, during September and October, while the soil is still warm and friable. Dig over, for each tree, an area of at least 60 x 60 cm. Before you add the essential organic matter such as well rotted farmyard manure to the soil, make sure that the subsoil is well loosened with a rigid tine fork, so that water can always drain away quickly. Tree roots need lots of oxygen and where water is standing around the roots, oxygen is not available. The trees literally suffocate, if this is not corrected!
Summer pruning is essential to ensure that the tree stays within the limited space available.
Pruning must not be carried out during the late autumn or winter months. The cordon tree performs best when pruned during the summer months. The first pruning should be performed by the middle of July in the south of England. For the middle and north of England, start pruning seven to ten days later. Cut all the newly-formed shoots back to five leaves lengths. One newly-formed shoot per growth point is enough. When doubles occur, bring them back to single shoots. By the middle of September, cut the same shoots back to three-leaf lengths. As sub-laterals are formed in later years, cut these back to one leaf lengths. The aim is to create strong fruit buds on two to three-year old wood, as well as spurs. These well-budded-up lengths of wood can be up to nine inches long. Leave these lengths of wood intact as fruit buds will have formed along these two-year old shoots. Some varieties will produce fruit on one-year old wood. All the same, in order not to exhaust the trees, it is best to halve these shoots by the first week of June. Thin the fruits to one fruit per cluster. The fruits will have to be spaced six inches apart to form good-sized fruits.
When the cordon has reached the top wire, it is important to make sure that all new growth does not occur at the top of the tree only. To that effect, lower the complete cordon, initially to a 40-degree angle. In later years, it is possible to lower it to the final angle of 35 degrees. As the trees become older, thin out the fruit spurs and encourage new replacement wood to form in its place.
Please note that the diagonal ochre posts are in fact 1.80 metre lengths of bamboo canes. The trees need to be tied to these canes, firstly because it is essential to maintain the 45 degree angle. This can later be lowered to 35 degrees, if growth is unevenly spread over the total length of the tree. The bamboo canes are also used because trees tied to wire are at risk, because the trees can very easily grow into the wire, which can cause severe damage to the trees, resulting in canker and branch breakages. In addition, it is important that the union of the trees is at least 4 cm above soil level.