I ordered 5 fruit trees and discovered that I have space for only 4 of them. My spouse wants to keep a cherry that I was hoping to replace. Which one of the following might survive in a pot as a small tree? I just read the book “Grow a little tree” and have been thinking of pruning the trees to be small.
a. Liberty apple (I would like to put this in the ground so that it is right by our patio. I am assuming this would be the most ornamental of all these trees)
b. William apple
c. Early italian plum
d. Mirabelle plum
e. Cascade pear
I have only grown columnar apples and a cherry before. We have a giant very old pear tree. (Bartlett I believe).
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Are any of the apples on dwarfing root stock?
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I have a Novamac apple on bud9 rootstock that is very happy in a half whiskey barrell type container.
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I grow everything in pots and you could do the same with any of those. I’d pick the one on dwarfing or semidwarfing rootstock that’s the least vigorous variety; or, a slower grower. Up to you. I’d personally likely avoid the pears if they’re not on dwarfing stock just because you’ll be fighting vigor the whole time. Keep in mind with the container tree, you’ll want to avoid most / any winter pruning and stick to summer pruning, again to help keep it in check.
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The apples are on EMLA 26 dwarfing root stock
Geneva mirabelle St Julian A
Cascade pear semi dwarf OHxF87
Early Italian plum - citation rootstock
I feel that the apples are the most ornamental of the pot and would prefer to put them in the ground as I have to screen a spot by porch. My neighbors removed a screen shrub there and that spit feels super bare. Or perhaps the pear would be better. I planted the early Italian plum in a pot for now. The others will arrive in May per raintree.
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They are all on dwarfing or semi dwarfing rootstock. Just looked up. I am going to read up on the root sticks now. I found your post with a picture of your tree in pots. I feel very encouraged after looking at that.
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My Novamac on B9… on a south facing brick wall… this is year 3 for it.
It is loaded with fruit spurs… and some are blooming now… more to come.
My first attempt at something like espellar… you might call that lazy espellar. I summer prune it once… and late winter prune it once.
Novamac is one of those very eager to fruit apple trees.
We are going to build a new home in the next year or two… and once that is done… I will most likely plant it in ground there and setup a more permanent espellar structure.
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M26 will eventually not like pot life. I’m going to get in Bud 57-146 because it is an extreme dwarf that does well in pots. M27 and P.22 are very pot oriented. But P.22 does not care for the southeast much. I do not think M27 will do well here either. Bud 57-146 has a bit more disease resisting but is not exactly great either.
You can plant any tree in a pot for it’s like. Probably get a Bonsai effect. Which will effect it somehow.
Maybe someone here should plant a super vigorous seedling in a half barrel and see what happens…lol
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