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In the past, most farms and gardens, large and small, included an orchard of fruit trees. Before the days of cold storage and rapid transport, fruit was mainly limited to the types you could grow in your own locality. In Britain, as in other countries, hundreds of local fruit varieties were cultivated and identified, with areas having their own particular apples, pears, plums and other types of tree fruit. Most private gardens have at least one fruit tree, but with cheap imports of fruit, private and commercial orchards have declined rapidly in recent decades. Many have been grubbed out and converted to agricultural use or building development. The charity Common Ground is active in promoting the saving of old orchards and the planting of new ones for community use. Common Ground publishes a series of Orchards Advice Notes, a newsletter Orchards News, and provides a useful forum for all those interested in community orchards. The Brogdale Horticultural Trust in Kent comprises the National Fruit Collection, including the largest collection of apple varieties in the world. It offers training events, a fruit identification service and supplies a wide variety of fruit trees. Fruit trees are available from garden centres and specialist nurseries, and many books are available on their cultivation and care. Fruit trees are grown on rootstocks which affect the growth and fruiting potential of the tree, with dwarfing rootstocks recommended for smaller gardens. For large gardens and orchards, standard or half-standard trees on semi-dwarfing rootstocks may be suitable. The Fruit Expert by Dr D G Hessayon (pbi Publications) gives clear details on the growing of tree and soft fruit. One-year-old maiden trees, available bare-root from specialist suppliers, are the cheapest way to buy, but will require careful pruning for at least three years to form a balanced framework of branches. Two-year-old, partly trained trees are usually the best choice. Trees over four years old should be avoided, as they will be slow to establish. Planting should follow standard advice (above and planting and protection). Staking is normally necessary at planting, and may need to be permanent for small bush trees. Trained trees, such as espaliers, will need appropriate supports. For the best crops, the ground under the fruit tree should be kept clear of other growth, especially grass. For orchards, bare ground is normally only appropriate for commercial growing, and most community orchards will include grasses and wild flowers. Fruit trees are prone to a variety of pests and diseases, and attention needs to be paid to their cultivation and care. All content copyright © 1986-2008 BTCV Ltd. Registered charity No. 261009 |
