best fruit tree for UK

[baguio]

Why do you want to plant fruit trees would be my question? IMO fruit trees are ugly in comparison to many other types of trees. Fruit is cheap and available all year round from the shops. Your crop is going to ready at pretty much all the same time which is less than ideal and will probably result in wastage or you simply giving it away (which isn't the end of the world I agree).
There are so many beautiful trees available in the UK that fruit trees would the last choice for my front garden.

 

[User00047]

This little lemon tree produces plenty of fruit, great if you don’t have much space View attachment 216689
For the money, this does nothing, and would have been 100 bottles of quality gin and tonic, perfect accompaniment for a slice of lemon
View attachment 216691

Nice Antarctica

 

[User00047]

Why do you want to plant fruit trees would be my question? IMO fruit trees are ugly in comparison to many other types of trees. Fruit is cheap and available all year round from the shops. Your crop is going to ready at pretty much all the same time which is less than ideal and will probably result in wastage or you simply giving it away (which isn't the end of the world I agree).
There are so many beautiful trees available in the UK that fruit trees would the last choice for my front garden.

Funny you should say that. I have always thought that planting trees that produce fruit was a great idea. If you are planting a tree, why not plant something that gives you something back?

 

[baguio]

Funny you should say that. I have always thought that planting trees that produce fruit was a great idea. If you are planting a tree, why not plant something that gives you something back?

Maybe for you back garden but not in your front garden. I have hedges all around my property which provide food, shelter and nesting sites for birds. I can buy fresh fruit that is at it's best every day for pennies which will be better quality than anything that I can grow.

 

[Dunwaters]

I built a 5 x 5 metre square aluminium pole kit soft fruit cage...now reduced to 2.5 X 2.5 metres since some idiot forgot to take off the small mesh summer netting over the roof before a fall of wet snow in the third winter collapsed it...but even with 6 square metres we have had a brilliant crop of red and blackcurrants just by excluding the birds.

Alan

My fruit and veg pretty much all comes from aisles 1 and 2 in Aldi nowadays, I have apples, plums and cherries in season that I literally can’t give away but I gave up on the veg a long time ago. The cherries don’t crop every year, when they do blackbirds and crows have a field day and crap purple all over the cars.
Love the trees though, especially in springtime.

 

[old keeper]

Been a nightmare for birds this year, they've stripped Cherrys, Jostaberry, Gooseberrys and Tayberries. Worst year I can remember for the little sods!

 

[willie_gunn]

Been a nightmare for birds this year, they've stripped Cherrys, Jostaberry, Gooseberrys and Tayberries. Worst year I can remember for the little sods!

The fruit trees on our allotment were hit just the same - morello cherries, jostaberries, raspberries and blackcurrants - all got nabbed by the birds. Our fault, though, for not netting them.

The jostaberries particularly annoy me, as we had a fantastic crop last year.

To the OP I would suggest a quince tree. We are useless at nurturing them, but we used to get a bumper crop from the tree at the mother-in-law’s house. Great for quince jam, but more so for quince brandy!

Otherwise what about a wet walnut?

 

[alberta boy]

I have to admit that I'm jealous over the many species that can be grown in the UK . We're too far north for most fruit trees unfortunately . We do have an abundance of wild berries however .......... but I still miss Blackberries , sigh .

AB

 

[Woodmister]

Why do you want to plant fruit trees would be my question? IMO fruit trees are ugly in comparison to many other types of trees. Fruit is cheap and available all year round from the shops. Your crop is going to ready at pretty much all the same time which is less than ideal and will probably result in wastage or you simply giving it away (which isn't the end of the world I agree).
There are so many beautiful trees available in the UK that fruit trees would the last choice for my front garden.

i think its because that's what was there before hand...

 

[baguio]

i think its because that's what was there before hand...

I planted a Liquidambar styraciflua Worplesdon through a recommendation of a member on here and it's thrived and is a proper centre piece of the front garden. Barchams do lots of varieties and indeed lots of trees. This isn't the ideal time of year for tree planting though so many trees are will be unavailable until the autumn.

 

[User00036]

Sometimes I reach for an apple.
Its hard to beat Cox's Orange Pippin for an apple, or a juicy Conference pear.
For a change try the forbidden fruit, Figs! Brown Turkey do well in this country, lacking slightly in flavour, but delicious with ice cream. Or Violet Bordeaux if you have a sheltered spot. Restrct the roots though.

 

[willie_gunn]

Sometimes I reach for an apple.
Its hard to beat Cox's Orange Pippin for an apple, or a juicy Conference pear.
For a change try the forbidden fruit, Figs! Brown Turkey do well in this country, lacking slightly in flavour, but delicious with ice cream. Or Violet Bordeaux if you have a sheltered spot. Restrct the roots though.

Our neighbour has a wonderfully prolific fig tree - we barter venison and trout for them. Simply delicious!

 

[User00047]

Maybe for you back garden but not in your front garden. I have hedges all around my property which provide food, shelter and nesting sites for birds. I can buy fresh fruit that is at it's best every day for pennies which will be better quality than anything that I can grow.

I guess it might depend upon how much space you have in front or back garden.

The fruit trees on our allotment were hit just the same - morello cherries, jostaberries, raspberries and blackcurrants - all got nabbed by the birds. Our fault, though, for not netting them.

The jostaberries particularly annoy me, as we had a fantastic crop last year.

To the OP I would suggest a quince tree. We are useless at nurturing them, but we used to get a bumper crop from the tree at the mother-in-law’s house. Great for quince jam, but more so for quince brandy!

Otherwise what about a wet walnut?

gotta love a wet walnut!

 

[User00035]

I'd go with an apple and a pear. James Grieve for apple. A very hardy dual purpose variety and a spur bearer so easy to prune. And a Conference pear. Hardy, and you pick fruit when hard and ripen off the tree so there's less waste.
The insects will thank you for the blossom from fruit trees.

 

[User00036]

Our neighbour has a wonderfully prolific fig tree - we barter venison and trout for them. Simply delicious!

Do you know what variety Willie? fig trees are very easy to propagate, just put some wet moss in a plastic tuppaware container )take out container drill some holes in the lid & push some spurs through the lid into moss & put in the airing cupboard. After 2/3 weeks you should see some roots. Transplant to a plastic beer glass with a good potting soil & vermiculite. Don't let them dry out. You have to restrict the roots when planting out, otherwise you get monster trees with no fruit. One of those 1/2 ton dumpy bags are good, filled with rubble & a little soil.

 

[dodgyrog]

Apricots - they make splendid jam!

 

[nic531]

depends on what you like... i like apples but prefer not cooked so went for a variety that were eaters, good for juice and cider... have a Falstaff thats good and an old variety that i ordered in that is good for all 3 uses.. 'King of the Pippin" both do well.
also have a few that are just aldi specials or what i was given by friends etc.

 

[willie_gunn]

Do you know what variety Willie? fig trees are very easy to propagate, just put some wet moss in a plastic tuppaware container )take out container drill some holes in the lid & push some spurs through the lid into moss & put in the airing cupboard. After 2/3 weeks you should see some roots. Transplant to a plastic beer glass with a good potting soil & vermiculite. Don't let them dry out. You have to restrict the roots when planting out, otherwise you get monster trees with no fruit. One of those 1/2 ton dumpy bags are good, filled with rubble & a little soil.

I don't I'm afraid - it was there already when they moved into the house.

Many thanks for the excellent instructions.

I particularly like the idea that I get to have a take-out and a beer, all in the name of horticulture - my kind of gardening

 

[User00036]

I don't I'm afraid - it was there already when they moved into the house.

Many thanks for the excellent instructions.

I particularly like the idea that I get to have a take-out and a beer, all in the name of horticulture - my kind of gardening

My Gardening tip. if it moves. shoot it, if it doesn't spray it! Moss is an excellent rooting compound, anti bacterial anti fungal moisture retentive blah blah.

 

[hoodwink]

I rather like Spartan Apple, crispy and fresh tasting shiny re, good eater also good for upside down apple tart.
and Boncheritain Pear good sweat desert pear.