What are Rootstocks? Rootstocks are used to restrict the vigour of fruit trees making them suitable to grow in a small space. They can also contribute to the disease resistance of the plant.
St Julian A (semi-vigorous): Ultimate height as trained as bush 4.5-5m (15-16'6")
M26: Ultimate height as trained as a bush 2.4-3m (8-10')
Montclare (semi-dwarfing): Ultimate height 3m (10'
)General Fruit Tree Care
Preparation Choose a site with an open aspect and in full sunlight. Avoid sites which are lower than the surrounding area which both excess rain and also frost can gather. The soil should ideally have a pH value of between 6 and 7. This value covers the vast majority of cultivated garden land in the British Isles. The soil should be free draining and every attempt to increase fertility of the proposed site of the tree should be made.
Planting Prior to planting your trees, a plot 75cm square should be marked out and thouroughly dug over to a depth of 35-45cm. Any impervious subsoil should be forked over to aid drainage. Incorporate well-rotted manure, garden compost or spent mushroom compost into the marked area, along with two good handfuls of Bone Meal.
After unpacking the tree, it should be soaked in water for 24 hours. This is important to ensure rapid establishment of the tree.
Prepare a planting hole big enough to accomodate the roots of the tree. Before planting add a support stake, this should be hammered into the ground to a depth of 18 inches. This support stake should be about 10cm to the side of where the tree is to be planted to avoid the stake rubbing against the stem or branches of the tree.
The roots should be spread out in the planting hole and the soil backfilled in layers, and after each layer the tree should be slightly shaken to ensure the soil adequately fills in around the roots. Once the tree is planted, the graft union should be between 10-15cm above the soil level. This is most important.
Once the tree is planted, then it should be attached to the tree stake with a tree tie ensuring that the tree-tie forms a buffer between the stake and the tree.
The tree should be well watered immediately after planting. Adding a mixture of
FRUITS BOOST to the water will be beneficial when applied as a drench. Mix 5g in 8 litres of water and apply liberally as a drench. The Mycorrhiza fungi in
FRUITS BOOST need to make contact with the roots for good results, so the root area should be watered thouroughly on application, but avoid waterlogging the soil which is detrimental to the tree. (Fruits Boost is available in our Mail Order catalogue or Online).
Weed Control Fruit trees do not like competition from weeds as they are very shallow rooted, with the majority of the feeding roots only ever being in the top 30cm of the soil. It is recommended that a 1 metre square of weed free soil is kept around the tree. This is easily maintained by shallow hoeing. It is not recommended to use herbicides near to fruit trees.
Mulching A mulch of well-rotted manure, garden compost or spent mushroom compost is a very good idea, but it is important that this should only be applied after a heavy rain to ensure that the soil moisture is kept within the soil. It has been known for thick mulches to prevent water from reaching the roots of apple and pear trees. Mulches should be renewed every other year. Ensure that the mulch does not touch the stem of the tree.
Handy Tip: Both wool and hair contain quite a high nitrogen content which is very useable by fruit trees. A good mulch can be made of squares of pure wool carpet being turned face down on the soil surrounding the tree. Within about 6 months, most of the wool will have been incorporated into the soil by worms and soil born bacteria.
Watering During the first year the tree should be kept well watered just as you would with any other plant. Do not allow the soil to dry out, but always avoid over watering. A five litre can of water each week spread with a fine rose over the 1 metre square where the tree is planted is adequate if mulching is followed. If no mulch is present, then in high summer up to three times that amount per week will be required.
Please note The feeding and water absorbing roots will be in an area 20cms to 1 metre from the main stem. Remember that the tree will only require watering from the first signs of buds breaking out until the first signs of autumn colours. This is normally from early April until late September. Watering should not occur during the winter months. Feeding To give the very best fruit, the trees will require a good regime of feeding. There are many very good proprietary plant foods for fruit trees on the market. The manufacturer's instructions should be followed, but as a rule, applications in the very early spring, early summer, late summer and then in mid-autumn will give very good results.
Fig Trees Preparation Figs can be grown either in large containers, 20+ litres or straight into open soil. If the latter method is used, then a root restricting pit made of paving slabs dug into the ground is advisable. fig trees can grow large quickly and restricting roots will give a much more manageable tree and much more precocious cropping. If growing in a container it is best to use a loam based compost.
The site should be in maximum sunlight and the benefit of a wall or fence providing reflected heat is most desirable. As a rule, it is better to grow fig trees in poorer soils with plenty of drainage. Incorporating stones or plaster rubble in the soil mix is a very good idea.
Planting Figs are grown from a cutting rather than by grafting, so the tree should be planted to a depth that adequately covers the roots. The soil mark on the main stem where it was grown in the nursery is a good guise. The soil should be backfilled in layers and thoroughly tamped down to ensure good contact with the roots.
If the tree is to be grown as a standard tree in a tub or planter or as a standard in open ground, then a stake and tree tie should be used for additional support.
Mulching Mulching on a regular basis is not necessary for figs but is a good idea in the year of planting to ensure that there is adequate soil moisture for the tree's establishment.
Watering In the first year this is important, but should be confined to once a week to ensure the soil is moist right down to the root area. In the second and subsequent years, watering should be confined to the months of June, July, August and September when there is fruit upon the tree.
Feeding Although the best results for growing figs occur when the roots are restricted, figs are a very hungry tree and a regular feeding programme should be adhered to. a good quality feed should be used at regular intervals throughout the growing season, starting in April and continuing through until late September.
Pruning There are many ways in which figs can be pruned and a good pruning guide should be followed. Pruning can take place in spring, summer and autumn, but avoid the winter months.
PLEASE NOTE: During the growing season fig trees will exude white sap from the pruning cuts. This can run out rather like milk. It is a very stick substance very similar to latex and can irritate and burn the skin. Please take precautions. The sap will exude from pruning cuts and not from the tree in normal circumstance.