[Dreich Pete]

I'm not as organised as I'd hoped at this point (thanks to 2 weeks of campylobacter food poisoning) but I've taken the plunge and ordered 12 apple and 9 pear trees to get the orchard planting started. I've selected 4 varieties of apple and 3 pear.

The plan is to plant in groups of 3 over about half an acre to get it started and see how we do. I was going to get some plum and cherry trees but I know we have some plum already on the land and I need to see if the cherries we have are edible - they're planted together so I'm guessing they are.

The quince and fig can wait until I've got the sheltered area around the house prepared - for the fig, that is.

I've also ordered a load of edible hedging plants to fill the gaps in the existing young hedging. I think it's only a year old based on the height. Lucky for us the rabbits in the next field and quarry don't seem to get through the fencing and the existing planting is untouched.

The delivery is due two days before I have some minor surgery so I'll be busy, busy, busy.

[Dan]

Excellent, let us know how you get on. 

We're planting the second phase of our apple orchard this weekend - 50 trees to go in with a little help from a few friends. I reckon I can just supervise and not actually do any real work... 

[HesterF]

Phew - if you're still planting, I still have time to prune. I'm running short - blossom about to burst all over the place (and almond already has). Enjoy the planting - at least you won't be faced with frozen ground and driving snow!

[Dreich Pete]

It snowed today and we had a frost the other night but nothing that would harden the ground much.

The only buds showing in our garden are on the rosehips and some ornamental shrubs. The daffodils haven't yet opened.

[spandit]

Phew - if you're still planting, I still have time to prune. I'm running short - blossom about to burst all over the place (and almond already has). Enjoy the planting - at least you won't be faced with frozen ground and driving snow!

Do you actually get nuts from your almond?

[Lesley Silvester]

Ah is it pruning time? I wasn't sure when it should be done.

[HesterF]

Depends what you're pruning - ideally I would have finished all the apples and pears last month. Most of them have been done but the ground was so soft, I didn't want to do the big ones (ladder sank last year and I ended up falling 6ft and breaking my foot). Stone fruits should be done later once the sap is rising properly - tends to be late May/June.

Re. the almond, it's a baby still - was planted just over a year ago - it did have a couple of nuts on last year but they disappeared before I got to them. I think it stands a good chance if we don't have a severe frost now - I had ripe apricots from one of my baby trees last year and we've got mature figs which churn out fruit faster than I can deal with them. I just have my fingers crossed that the peach hangs on to it's blossom for a  while because I believe they can cross pollinate which makes them inedible - I think it's got a week or two before it opens (although forecast for tomorrow is 18 degrees so that might hasten it).

I'm going to be brave and start pruning the big trees tomorrow. Then at least I can relax and know it's done and get on with proper spring jobs. I can't believe you've still got snow in Scotland when it's been so warm down here.

[Lesley Silvester]

Sounds like I need to get the pruning done quickly then. I have two apple, a pear, a cherry and two plums. I knew the stone fruits were later pruning but not when. I've never pruned before.

[HesterF]

I'm not sure how vital the apple/pear timing actually is. I had a conversation with some Swedish friends who said the latest research there was that all fruit trees should be pruned in the summer. The tradition of winter pruning came from farmers not having the time in summer so it just became something they could do in winter. Anyhow mine are done now and I'm still in one piece - relief all round!

[Dreich Pete]

We took a walk around the plot yesterday and I informed my OH where I was planting what. I've told her several time what my plans are but it all seemed to come as a surprise that I was expecting a delivery of trees.

The problem is that I'm at home all day and she drives a 60 mile commute to work, and she generally makes the inside of the house her domain and delegates anything outside to me.

She agreed with my general location plans for the trees, the next phase planting, the general integration of the existing planting, and the frustration over what to do with the quarter of the land that is too waterlogged to do much with.

I only wish she was at home this week to help with the planting...

[HesterF]

See that's us in reverse - husband is away for about 14 hours a day so when I was trying to plant in the blizzards of last winter, I was not the happiest bunny. I think I have convinced him to take a couple of days off to help me plant the 700 hedging trees required as a windbreak for HIS vineyard! It is very much a case of 'I'll believe it when I see it' though and would not be surprised if he suddenly has important meetings that he can't get out of. At the end of the day though, he does pay for me to faff around all day in the garden.

H

[Dreich Pete]

I don't get paid for staying at home, but I do get kept.

My wife almost stayed set home this morning because it's just such a nice day, but as much as I'd love the company, I'm glad she didn't because then there would be zero chance of getting her to stay at home on Wednesday to help with the planting. 

[shygirl]

we planted 2 conference pear trees, and although they came with fruit they never fruited again. how plums did after 5 yrs though.
we had quince, mulberries etc the lot but then the goats escaped and ate those...grrr

[Dreich Pete]

I'm always suspicious of plants that are sold with fruit/flower already on because I suspect they have been forced into that state simply to look attractive in the nursery rather than for their best health. This is most common at the big chain stores.

[shygirl]

I don't know why they haven't fruited as they have plenty of sun/blossom and are surrounded by fruit bushes, apples trees etc.
we are Aberdeenshire too.