Andrew Oldham writes about Pig Row, which is three gardens over a quarter of an acre in Scouthead. Visit at www.lifeonpigrow.co.uk
THREE YEARS ago we planted our orchard. People said it couldn’t be done, that we were too high up but the trees have weathered three winters and we only lost one tree, a Damson.
It was always an outside chance this would survive on the cold moors but we had to take a chance. Planting a fruit tree, in open ground or a pot, is an investment but if you get it right from the start you will be rewarded.
Let’s talk rootstocks; rootstocks control the vigour of your tree. There is no real need to have an apple tree on the M25 rootstock. Like the motorway, it would speed away and after a few years you wouldn’t be able to harvest any apples without long ladders.
Like many drivers on the M25 you too would experience the feeling of being stuck for long periods, in your case, up a tree.
At Pig Row we plant all our fruit on MM106 which means it will never get beyond 13 feet in height. We may still need ladders at some point but it will be many years before that happens.
If you want to plant an apple tree in a pot, I must warn you not to select one of the family trees that play host to three different varieties of apples. These put the tree under stress and they can revert, or in many cases dwindle every year until the tree gives no crop.
Plant any pot variety on an M26 rootstock: this is dwarfing rootstock and you can either prune to standard tree or create a cordon.
You can join us this month to see more about our apple planting, with further tips and ‘how to’ videos at www.facebook.com/lifeonpigrow. If you do one thing this month, plant an apple.
