Bramley Apple Tree

davedonie

I need two apple trees to pollinate the bramley but haven't the room. I might just fan train a gala and a cox, but can you get dwarf apple trees that will do the job?
I seen on a garden show they got a fruit tree grafted onto the rootstock of a small growing tree but I've been on the Google and cant find anything like that and I might have just misunderstood what Alan Titchmarch was on about.

CelticRambler

Why two? And why you? Does no-one else in the neighbourhood have appletrees? (TheFormer)MrsCR has a single Bramley in a pot and no other fruit trees in her garden, and it's produced fruit every year since it was bought as a two- or three-year-old sapling.

But if you want additional varieties (which I completely understand - I've got five!) you should have no problem getting "normal" varieties on either standard or dwarf rootstock, and for really small gardens, you can get two or even three varieties grafted onto the same root. E.g. this patio trio (French link, but the principle's valid everywhere).

davedonie

CelticRambler wrote: »

Why two? And why you? Does no-one else in the neighbourhood have appletrees? (TheFormer)MrsCR has a single Bramley in a pot and no other fruit trees in her garden, and it's produced fruit every year since it was bought as a two- or three-year-old sapling.

But if you want additional varieties (which I completely understand - I've got five!) you should have no problem getting "normal" varieties on either standard or dwarf rootstock, and for really small gardens, you can get two or even three varieties grafted onto the same root. E.g. this patio trio (French link, but the principle's valid everywhere).

Thanks for the link!
Bramley is a tripod so it needs two more pollinating apple trees......apparently. The two other trees have to be different from each other and have to be variety that can pollinate each other and then the bramley. My heads melted.

CelticRambler

Yes, but do you need to have the two pollinators in your garden? How old is the Bramley? Has it already flowered and produced no fruit, or has it not had a chance yet? As I said, MrsCR's has never not had fruit, despite being the one and only fruit tree of any kind in her garden. She's in an urban area.

pwurple

It is a common misconception that triploid apple trees need two suitable pollination partners but this is not true, they only need one. The "Tri" in the name is a reference to the number of chromosomes it has , nothing to do with its pollination. Triploids tend to be self sterile, so they need one other partner.


Apple trees pollinate based in simple terms on whatever other apples flower around the same time. (Some are self fertile).

In an urban setting your Bramley will pollinate just fine. I had one for years (just lost it last year to storm damage and will replace)... And another apple which flowered at a different time, so they could not pollinate eachother. Plenty of apples on both from apples which must be in neighbours gardens.

magicbastarder

sad to note that the original bramley apple tree is dying - from a honey fungus infection, IIRC.

davedonie

That's great. I was going by various garden centre websites. If I dont need more trees all the better. I have a cherry tree and pear tree so kinda ran out of space.