The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants’ performance under UK growing conditions. If you would like to find out which fruit trees are on the list of awards then check out the RHS link
Continue reading »Apple Scab
What is apple and pear scab? Apple or pear scab shows itself as black/brown scabby patches on the skin of the fruit, and grey-green scabby spots on leaves. Its encouraged by damp conditions, and the fungus overwinters on young stems and fallen leaves and affects ornamental and edible apple and pear trees in late spring
Continue reading »Commemorative Orchard at Ripley
For the 100 years commemoration of the Great War this November Ripley Parish Council decided to plant an orchard with 28 trees which was the number of men Ripley lost in the war. They asked us at Southern Fruit Trees to provide the fruit trees to remember the fallen men and we were honoured to
Continue reading »The Cot Series of Apricots
Nowadays we sell 5 varieties of apricot and most of them from the Cot series including Delicot, Goldcot, Flavorcot, and Tomcot. All are hardy and available as fan trained and bush trees to grow freestanding or on a wall or fence. But what are the difference and which one should you choose? The Cot series
Continue reading »Pruning Espaliers
Pruning apple or pear espaliers shouldn’t be complicated and this year we have simplified our pruning guide to make it even easier. After planting in Autumn/Winter: Espaliers will have 1 or more tiers already established and these will be at roughly 18 inches apart Make sure you plant the tree first before putting wires up to get the correct height
Continue reading »Plant Passports
To make sure that all our trees are from good stock and free of pest and disease each year we get them checked by the animal and plant health agency (APHA), part of DEFRA. They inspect our nursery and issue us with a plant passport. Our passport number is UK/EW111474 and is printed on all
Continue reading »Loseley Garden Show 2018
This summer we did our first big garden show at Loseley Park near Guildford. We had typical British weather for all 3 days and nearly got blown away in the process. We met some lovely people and exhibitors and displayed what Southern Fruit Trees has to offer- a great range of trained fruiting including espaliers.
Continue reading »Cooking Apples- which one to choose?
Autumn is a great time to plant and if you want to think about a cooking apple then one of these 3 would be perfect. All have AGM awards from the RHS so all have been shown to have earned the prestigious award of garden merit For an early cooker then Grenadier would be our
Continue reading »Pear Rust
Pear Rust is a fungal disease of pears, causing bright orange spots on the leaves. It can also affects junipers. In fact it needs both plants in order to complete its life cycle. Bright orange spots on the upper leaf surface. As summer progresses brown, gall-like outgrowths develop on the corresponding lower leaf surface. Fruit
Continue reading »Silver Leaf of Plums and Cherries
Silver leaf disease of plums and cherries can affect fruit trees like plums and cherries. It can cause poor growth, dieback and ultimately tree death. It is caused by the fungus Chondrostereum purpureum and infects through wounds, mainly caused by pruning. Thats why plums and cherries are best pruned during summer to avoid the fungus spores infecting
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