Garden Studios

The spring blossom will always be pretty; in the summertime it’s cloaked with varying shades of green and within the autumn the leaves will colour your garden golden – and you may even have apples to eat.

So this being Bramley Apple week (February 2-8), why not treat yourself to a brand new apple tree?

Bare-rooted fruit trees will generally establish themselves more easily than the container-grown kind, but they have to be planted while the tree remains to be dormant – so that you have only really got until the top of this month.

Even so, don’t exit and purchase anything in case your soil is frozen solid or waterlogged, although when you have already ordered them from specialist nurseries you possibly can plant them in a short lived position for per week or two to prevent the roots drying out.

Bramley apple trees are the most popular in Britain, since the apples are big and sweet – you don’t really want so as to add sugar after you cook them.

However, usually, they don’t seem to be self-pollinating and wish pollen from two other apple trees that flower collectively as them in an effort to bear fruit.

There are dozens of apple tree cultivars which are compatible, so ask on the nursery you’re buying from which they’d recommend. a whole lot depends upon what they’ve in stock.

Just do not forget that you’re unlikely to have room for 3 full-size apple trees, so choose trees grown on dwarf or half-standard root stock – unless your neighbours have apple trees conveniently close.

To plant your tree, dig a square hole deep enough to face the roots up in, and add home-made compost or other organic matter to the underside of the outlet, or other soil conditioner.

Knock a stake into the bottom, a bit off-centre in order that there’s space for the tree, then place the tree within the hole and begin filling in with soil.

Make sure you don’t plant it any deeper than it was previously planted by laying a bamboo stick over the center of the opening so that you have a greater idea of where the head of the soil will reach.

Firm the soil down, tie the tree to the stake using a figure of eight tie to prevent the bark rubbing against it then water well – and keep it watered during any dry spells during its first year. Should we ever get any.