ACW
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:20 am
Location: London

New Bare root plum pear and apple

just received and planted a trio of bush fruits bare rooted ,a nice mix of compost mixed with garden soil added root grow microrisal as per suggested well staked ,need to ad some top dressing ,the nursery suggest bone meal .
Thinks so far I am on course.
my question is when should I water next after planting I gave all 3 a good 4 gallons each and its rained today .with it being early febuary when will these dormant rees next need a dose of water ?
My only previous experience with fruit trees in the garden was a dwarf patio Katy Apple tree which was transplanted in the same garden and did rather well ,that is until builders replacing the retaining garden boundary wall trashe the majority of the wee garden down to totally destroying my wee tree/bush .
Much work to do ,wish I was ten years younger as a lot of the work will be manual !

JONA
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Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:11 am
Location: Sussex. England

Your trees roots will stay practically dormant until the soil starts to warm up in the spring. Just keep the soil around the trees moist and they will be fine. A good mulching around them with compost or straw will help keep the moisture in.Once growth starts in the spring make sure they are not allowed to dry out for the first few months.

ACW
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:20 am
Location: London

John
thanks I thought youwould give me the answer!

ACW
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:20 am
Location: London

Buds about to burst on the Apple tree and the Plum has som new small growth low down .The pear still appears to be dormant ..

ACW
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:20 am
Location: London

Apple and pear are in full flower and looking stunning,the plum has had its flowering and with a rain storm last night all the blooms are done .
;to my inexperienced eye the plum leaves and flowers all appeared low down on the tree ,new leaf buds slowly working their way upwards.Is this normal with plums ?

JONA
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Location: Sussex. England

That’s normal ACW. The older buds open first..then the newer ones will follow.
Keep your fingers crossed this year. This sudden warm spell has brought everything on very quickly. And there’s still plenty of time for spring frost to rear it’s ugly head.
Good luck?

ACW
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:20 am
Location: London

My experience living in Highbury a few miles from central london is frost in april is most unlikeely ,so unless the weird weather we have been getting really bucks the trend ,I am safe from frost.!
Thanks for the input .

JONA
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I hope your right ACW, it’s one of the benefits of living in City.
Until the clean air act came into force you wouldn’t have had to spray any fungicide either. There was so much sulphur in the air that even Kew Gardens were relatively spray free!

ACW
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:20 am
Location: London

there is a good number of ruits forming on both the apple and pear,,might be a few fruits on the plum but not sure on that.
the question is should I remove all the forming fruit ,or maybe just keep a few .
My thinking is grow some new wood this year for crop next ,but impatience for results wants to keep a few too share with SWMBO my lovely wife

JONA
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Location: Sussex. England

Leave the fruit for the moment ACW. Most of it will fall off by late June anyway with the June drop.
On the apple and pear you could leave one or two fruits....but if the trees are not growing strongly by early July, I would remove all fruit.
On the plum...the fruit at the moment will be very small, but I would certainly leave a small crop on the tree if it does stay. Plums are notorious for romping away and anything that produces a calming affect is good to induce the tree to produce fruit bud for next year.
Should please SWMBO as well!

ACW
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:20 am
Location: London

Thank you John.
For those that don't Know the Rumpole stories SWMBO is shorthand for she who must be obeyed .

ACW
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:20 am
Location: London

Yes I found a few tiny plums when I did a branch by branch check this morning .
When would be the best time to give them a feed ,blood fish and bone or a seaweed solution available ,or would something else be better ,got to go get a new border fork ,my present one has snapped when forcing some buried bricks up and out ,so a trip to the garden center is on the cards.

JONA
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Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:11 am
Location: Sussex. England

A light feed of BFB anytime. Seaweed sprays after full petal fall....then anytime the leaves look pale or under stress.
Never spray on hot sunny days...the salts in the sprays can make sun scorch all the more severe.

ACW
Senior Member
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Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:20 am
Location: London

Thanks again John,doubtless more questions to come !



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