Because walnut trees grow so large and take so many years to come into cropping, they are seldom planted. Nowadays, however, it is possible to grow walnuts as bush trees, which come into cropping earlier.
SOIL AND PREPARATION
Walnuts will grow on almost any soil but prefer a well-drained clay with a fair lime content. Where trees are planted in sandy soils, mulch the soil Read more ...
In addition to the Japanese wineberry, there are a number of unusual cane fruits which can be grown in exactly the same way as blackberries or loganberries. All of them must be trained up wires to keep them off the ground and all need heavy manuring.
Prepare the plot where the canes are to be planted by forking in well-rotted compost at 2 bucketfuls per sq. yd. And adding Read more ...
PLANTING
Plant very firmly. Dig a hole 3 ft. square and about 6 in. deep and spread the roots out evenly in the hole, cutting back cleanly any damaged ones. Put back the soil and ram it down well.
Plant bush plums 15 ft. square, half-standard plums 18 ft. square and standard plums 2-1/2 ft. square.
Planting should be done in November if possible while the soil is still warm, Read more ...
TYPE AND AGE OF CANES
Buy one-year-old virus-free canes with a good root system.
PLANTING
Plant loganberries about 6 in. deep and 8 to 12 ft. apart in November, early December or in March. Spread the roots out carefully, replace the soil and tread down firmly. Train the canes in a fan by tying them to wires, preferably old telephone wires, stretched at 2-ft. intervals between Read more ...
Sour or cooking cherries are usually grown for making jam or cherry brandy. They will grow well when cultivated as fan-shaped trees on a north wall, especially the variety Morello.
ROOT STOCKS
The sour cherry is usually budded on the Mazzard stock known as Mailing F.12/1. The yellow Morello does well grown on its own roots.
PLANTING
Buy two-year-old bush trees or three- Read more ...
Overcropping
Some varieties are liable to overcrop. To prevent the branches from breaking or cracking under the weight of fruit, thin out the apples with the thumb and forefinger or a pair of scissors in June when they are about the size of walnuts.
Keep dessert apples 4 in. apart on each branch and cooking varieties 8 in. apart. Remove the centre apple of each cluster (the Read more ...
Pruning is necessary for training and maintaining the shape of apple trees.
Careful pruning can ensure that the branches are well spaced and that the centre of the tree is open so that air and sunlight can penetrate to every part. Pruning can also facilitate the spraying of trees, the picking of the fruit, and can help to ensure that the crop is one of quality rather than Read more ...
There are various systems by which apples may be grown successfully — even in small gardens. Some systems ensure that the trees take up a minimum of space and require little pruning, so that the highest possible yield is obtained.
1. THE FULL STANDARD
Full standard trees have trunks about 6 ft. high and are usually planted in grass. Such trees should have been grafted on Read more ...
Type and Age of Trees
Apple trees can be trained to grow in several different ways. Trees that have been trained for a short time by a nurseryman can be bought, but it is better to plant quite young, untrained trees, because apple trees should be disturbed as little as possible by transplanting. To obtain the best results buy one-year-old trees — maidens — and carry out Read more ...