Fruit trees

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Fruit trees are often referred to as Top Fruit and may be further divided into:

Pip fruit

Apples
Pears

Stone fruit

Plums
Apricots
Peaches
Greengages
Nectarines
Cherries
Damsons

Range

The range of varieties in each type is wide and by careful selection fruit can be produced over a long period in the Summer for storage into the Autumn. Some attention should be given to the choice of varieties as it is often best to grow different varieties of the same type near to one another to produce the best crop.

Sizes

Pip fruit are offered as:

Maidens (trees for further training)
Bush (short stem)
Half Standard (stem of up to 1.2m (4ft)
Standard (stem of up to 2m (6ft)
Horizontal trained (Espalier)
Fan
Cordon (single stem)

Stone fruit are offered as:

Maidens (trees for further training)
Bush
Half Standard
Standard
Fan

	Bush (use stake and tie)
	Half standard or standard (use stake and tie)
	Horizontal trained (espalier) (need careful training on wires)
	Fan (usually grown on wires against a wall)

Supporting

Half-standard and Standard trees and those bushes in wind exposed gardens will require staking and tying. Horizontal trained, fan and cordons, will require wire supports whether free-standing in the garden or against a wall or fence.

Watering

It is advisable when growing trees in grass that an area of not less than 1m (3ft) in diameter be kept clear around the base of the tree to allow moisture from the rain to enter and produce good plant growth and crops of fruit.

Following planting the trees should be watered well and in dry weather as required. All will benefit from an application of a general fertilizer each Spring.

Pruning

Pruning is important and with most top fruit the aim is to keep an open centre to the tree which allows light to enter and aid the ripening of the fruit. Fan, horizontal-trained and cordons require special pruning and advice should be sought from your Garden Centre, Retail Nursery or from reference books.

Pip fruit are best pruned in the Winter, whereas stone fruit must be pruned in Summer to avoid attacks of fungal disease.