New Apple and fruit orchard

jimini0

Has anyone on here planted an orchard lately. I have a few questions
My young lady has apple trees growing. Took seeds from apples and planted them in pots. Well low and behold 23 of them are growing nicely. It was something to keep her busy during lockdown . Didnt actually think they would grow so well. But now I'm thinking of an orchard. I dont mind loosing an acre for it.

NcdJd

jimini0 wrote: »

Has anyone on here planted an orchard lately. I have a few questions
My young lady has apple trees growing. Took seeds from apples and planted them in pots. Well low and behold 23 of them are growing nicely. It was something to keep her busy during lockdown . Didnt actually think they would grow so well. But now I'm thinking of an orchard. I dont mind loosing an acre for it.

Any idea what varieties they are Jimiini0 ? I made the mistake 10 years ago of planting apple varieties I got in a garden shop. Ended up after a while taking them up and getting irish varieties from future forests in cork. Id put a couple down to see what they turn out like and pick out some irish varieties and get some other fruit like pears and plums aswell if your going full hog on it.

Nothing like having your own fruit.

NcdJd

forgot to say pollination groups are important and if they are tip fruiting varieties when pruning.

jimini0

NcdJd wrote: »

Any idea what varieties they are Jimiini0 ? I made the mistake 10 years ago of planting apple varieties I got in a garden shop. Ended up after a while taking them up and getting irish varieties from future forests in cork. Id put a couple down to see what they turn out like and pick out some irish varieties and get some other fruit like pears and plums aswell if your going full hog on it.

Nothing like having your own fruit.

Royal gala and pink lady.
But if I get the right advice I can swap them on the quiet for ones that will do well. I will check out future forests cheers.
What area have you planted

Ultimanemo

Most likely you will get crab apple trees, there is very small chance you will get any edible fruits, if you want apple trees you have to graft them. Apple trees pollination happens between different varieties, so if you plant pink lady seeds you will never get pink lady apple tree, commercial apple growers grow crab apple trees because they are very good pollinators, so the offspring normally doesn't produce edible apples, if you are really lucky you might get a new unique good variety but that is like playing the lotto.

NcdJd

jimini0 wrote: »

Royal gala and pink lady.
But if I get the right advice I can swap them on the quiet for ones that will do well. I will check out future forests cheers.
What area have you planted

I've about half an acre of an orchard. I've plums, damsons, pears and apples. I tried cherries and peaches but pulled them up as either the birds or oulfella would get the little bit of fruit off them after me watching them grow all summer. If you can try and locate it in a sheltered area if possible.

Once you stick to either self fertile or one pollination group such as B and stake them well the first couple of years you should be on your way. Put a bit of chicken wire around them to keep the rabbits from them.

If you decide to put pears on there's a couple of varieties in future forests that mature round September, either Beth or Bon Williams. The conference pears you may as well be eating a block of wood.

jimini0

NcdJd wrote: »

I've about half an acre of an orchard. I've plums, damsons, pears and apples. I tried cherries and peaches but pulled them up as either the birds or oulfella would get the little bit of fruit off them after me watching them grow all summer. If you can try and locate it in a sheltered area if possible.

Once you stick to either self fertile or one pollination group such as B and stake them well the first couple of years you should be on your way. Put a bit of chicken wire around them to keep the rabbits from them.

If you decide to put pears on there's a couple of varieties in future forests that mature round September, either Beth or Bon Williams. The conference pears you may as well be eating a block of wood.

Great advice there. I actually like the conference pears. I like them crunchy not balls of water

jimini0

Ultimanemo wrote: »

Most likely you will get crab apple trees, there is very small chance you will get any edible fruits, if you want apple trees you have to graft them. Apple trees pollination happens between different varieties, so if you plant pink lady seeds you will never get pink lady apple tree, commercial apple growers grow crab apple trees because they are very good pollinators, so the offspring normally doesn't produce edible apples, if you are really lucky you might get a new unique good variety but that is like playing the lotto.

as I mentioned I will swap them on the quiet.

NcdJd

jimini0 wrote: »

Great advice there. I actually like the conference pears. I like them crunchy not balls of water

Conference are a very heavy cropper. My teeth wouldn't be the best with them ha.

Wait a few months and get bare root trees. They will be cheaper

NcdJd

SouthWesterly wrote: »

Wait a few months and get bare root trees. They will be cheaper

Best way to get them. The potted ones are repotted every couple of months. Much better root system on the bare roots.

TooOldBoots

Ultimanemo wrote: »

if you are really lucky you might get a new unique good variety but that is like playing the lotto.

Very true, if you do get a new variety it could be worth a fortune. But its as likely as winning the Lotto

CelticRambler

NcdJd wrote: »

The conference pears you may as well be eating a block of wood.

Conference are a cooking pear; like cooking apples, they need time off the tree to soften up if you're going to eat them raw, but are still best cooked (and hold it together much better than a dessert pear like Williams).

@OP : as ultimanemo points out, growing from seed is a good exercise in biology but will give you some kind of unrecogniseable, possibly inedible, hybrid. If your daughter's interest has been piqued at this stage, instead of swapping out some of the trees on the quiet, you'd be better off explaining to her the limitations of planting seeds and start talking about different varieties.

I have a selection of apples and pears that produces fruit from July to January (with plums and cherries for the earlier in the year) Having multiple varieties that flower/fruit at different times also reduces the risk of losing everything due a few weeks of bad weather in the spring.

Lime Tree Farm

I have an accidental apple tree, about 10 years old. When I saw what looked like an apple sapling growing in a flower bed I didn’t disturb it. In 2014 it flowered and produced about 3 or 4 bright pink apples. They were crisp and sweet tasting, much to my surprise. It flowered again the following year and produced a single apple. Since then it has blossomed every year but no fruit. Also the bark has split on some of the branches – still I live in hope. That it is competing with a rampant eleagnus hedge doesn't help either.

growing wild apples1.jpg

Wild apple tree fruid 2nd sept 2014a.jpg

Wild apple 2 sept 14a.jpg

wild apple 2 Sep 2014a.jpg

Lime Tree Farm

After submitting the last post, I looked out the window and spotted one nestling in the foliage. Maybe it's time to look after this apple tree.

These photos were taken from inside the house, as I looked out the window, it's lashing rain out there.


So Jimini0 I would not replace your daughter's trees, if I were you.

Wild Apple 22 Aug 2020.jpg

Close up Wild Apple 22 Aug 2020b.png

NcdJd

Lime Tree Farm wrote: »

After submitting the last post, I looked out the window and spotted one nestling in the foliage. Maybe it's time to look after this apple tree.

the photos were taken from inside the house, as I looked out the window, it's lashing rain out there.


So Jimini0 I would not replace your daughter's trees, if I were you.

Wild Apple 22 Aug 2020.jpg

Close up Wild Apple 22 Aug 2020b.png

You might have a new breed of apple there. You need to name the variety now ðŸ˜႒

charlesanto

You could go mad and graft the varieties you want onto your daughters roots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTqG8-OhElY&feature=youtu.be