UK gardening - greengage cultivation

Author

greengage cultivation

Janet Tweedy

2007-11-16, 9:25 am

I have just got my order from D T browns of the raspberries so praised
by this group a few weeks back. V. exciting! However in the parcel was a
delivery note and I find I have following an 'old Greengage' tree on
pixy stock. This was a bit of a surprise as I thought I had ordered
Champagne rhubarb! Order numbers look right so it must have been me..

Still nothing daunted and looking at it with a pragmatic approach I
shall wait in anticipation for this surprise arrival.

Has anyone got any tips for growing a fruit tree like this? How much
room do I give it and will it need another one to produce fruit. I have
a Bramley and there's Malus john Dowie but the only plums are next door
and I think they are Victoria and what the older people that sued to
live there, called Bullaces.

janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

'Mike'

2007-11-16, 9:25 am

"Janet Tweedy" <jan@lancedal.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:QNRkD0Am5WPHFwcW@ukonline.co.uk...
>I have just got my order from D T browns of the raspberries so praised by
>this group a few weeks back. V. exciting! However in the parcel was a
>delivery note and I find I have following an 'old Greengage' tree on pixy
>stock. This was a bit of a surprise as I thought I had ordered Champagne
>rhubarb! Order numbers look right so it must have been me..
>
> Still nothing daunted and looking at it with a pragmatic approach I shall
> wait in anticipation for this surprise arrival.
>
> Has anyone got any tips for growing a fruit tree like this? How much room
> do I give it and will it need another one to produce fruit. I have a
> Bramley and there's Malus john Dowie but the only plums are next door and
> I think they are Victoria and what the older people that sued to live
> there, called Bullaces.
>
> janet
> --
> Janet Tweedy
> Dalmatian Telegraph
> http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

I had a Greengage Tree in the garden of my house in Leicester. Sadly felled
to make way for blocks of flats.

The tree was massive. Big enough for me to climb into and eat the fruit
:-)))

25 - 30 ft high with the same spread.

Hope that helps. (No idea its variety or age, but age wise would guess 20
odd years)

Mike

--
www.rnshipmates.co.uk for ALL Royal Navy Association matters
www.rneba.org.uk. The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association to find your ex-Greenie mess mates.
www.iowtours.com for all ex-Service Reunions. More being added regularly
"Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will be there.

Nick Maclaren

2007-11-16, 9:25 am

In article <QNRkD0Am5WPHFwcW@ukonline.co.uk>,
Janet Tweedy <jan@lancedal.demon.co.uk> writes:
|>
|> Has anyone got any tips for growing a fruit tree like this? How much
|> room do I give it and will it need another one to produce fruit. I have
|> a Bramley and there's Malus john Dowie but the only plums are next door
|> and I think they are Victoria and what the older people that sued to
|> live there, called Bullaces.

That should take care of the pollination. You could plant a damson,
bullace, plum or other greengage if you like - they are all the same
species, and MOST will pollinate each other.

The size depends a lot on the pruning, and perhaps variety. They
aren't big trees like Bramleys, and most can be pruned into 6'x6'x8'.
But I am no expert.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Nick Maclaren

2007-11-16, 9:25 am

In article <yrGdnY28TcckGKDaRVnyjgA@bt.com>,
"'Mike'" <3d&6d@woolies.com> writes:
|>
|> I had a Greengage Tree in the garden of my house in Leicester. Sadly felled
|> to make way for blocks of flats.
|>
|> The tree was massive. Big enough for me to climb into and eat the fruit
|> :-)))
|>
|> 25 - 30 ft high with the same spread.
|>
|> Hope that helps. (No idea its variety or age, but age wise would guess 20
|> odd years)

Boggle. I didn't know that they got that big - the only ones I have
seen have been quite small.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

'Mike'

2007-11-16, 9:25 am

"Nick Maclaren" <nmm1@cus.cam.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:fhk1ev$db0$1@gemini.csx.cam.ac.uk...
>
> In article <yrGdnY28TcckGKDaRVnyjgA@bt.com>,
> "'Mike'" <3d&6d@woolies.com> writes:
> |>
> |> I had a Greengage Tree in the garden of my house in Leicester. Sadly
> felled
> |> to make way for blocks of flats.
> |>
> |> The tree was massive. Big enough for me to climb into and eat the fruit
> |> :-)))
> |>
> |> 25 - 30 ft high with the same spread.
> |>
> |> Hope that helps. (No idea its variety or age, but age wise would guess
> 20
> |> odd years)
>
> Boggle. I didn't know that they got that big - the only ones I have
> seen have been quite small.
>
>
> Regards,
> Nick Maclaren.

Just tried to calculate the age of the Greengage, and a Walnut which was
alongside it, and we now 'guesstimate' they were both over 30 years old.
It's a bit difficult because of the history and timetable of the land which
goes back to before the time of the Jarrow March!!! The trees 'may' have
been in then. We were there from 1967 - 1971

Mike

Rod

2007-11-16, 9:25 am

"Nick Maclaren" <nmm1@cus.cam.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:fhk1ev$db0$1@gemini.csx.cam.ac.uk...
>
> In article <yrGdnY28TcckGKDaRVnyjgA@bt.com>,
> "'Mike'" <3d&6d@woolies.com> writes:
> |>
> |> I had a Greengage Tree in the garden of my house in Leicester.
> Sadly felled
> |> to make way for blocks of flats.
> |>
> |> The tree was massive. Big enough for me to climb into and eat the
> fruit
> |> :-)))
> |>
> |> 25 - 30 ft high with the same spread.
> |>
> |> Hope that helps. (No idea its variety or age, but age wise would
> guess 20
> |> odd years)
>
> Boggle. I didn't know that they got that big - the only ones I have
> seen have been quite small.
>
>
It's on 'Pixie' so it won't get huge but I've not grown gages on that
stock so I can't say with any certainty how big it will get except to
say nowhere near as big as the same thing grown on any of the old
plumstocks.
--
Rod

My real address is rodthegardeneratmyisp

Charlie Pridham

2007-11-16, 9:25 am

In article <fhk1ev$db0$1@gemini.csx.cam.ac.uk>, nmm1@cus.cam.ac.uk
says...
>
> In article <yrGdnY28TcckGKDaRVnyjgA@bt.com>,
> "'Mike'" <3d&6d@woolies.com> writes:
> |>
> |> I had a Greengage Tree in the garden of my house in Leicester. Sadly felled
> |> to make way for blocks of flats.
> |>
> |> The tree was massive. Big enough for me to climb into and eat the fruit
> |> :-)))
> |>
> |> 25 - 30 ft high with the same spread.
> |>
> |> Hope that helps. (No idea its variety or age, but age wise would guess 20
> |> odd years)
>
> Boggle. I didn't know that they got that big - the only ones I have
> seen have been quite small.
>
>
> Regards,
> Nick Maclaren.
>
It very much depends on the rootstock used and its only the more modern
trees where the use of dwarfing stock like "pixie" has made the trees
smaller, in the orchard on the farm where I grew up they were huge as
were the apple trees (but then again I last was there age 3 and most
things are huge at that age!)
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

Nick Maclaren

2007-11-16, 9:25 am

In article <MPG.21a7a6d86658d30a9896de@News.Individual.NET>,
Charlie Pridham <charlie@roselandhouse.co.uk> writes:
|>
|> It very much depends on the rootstock used and its only the more modern
|> trees where the use of dwarfing stock like "pixie" has made the trees
|> smaller, in the orchard on the farm where I grew up they were huge as
|> were the apple trees (but then again I last was there age 3 and most
|> things are huge at that age!)

All of the ones I was thinking of were on their own roots - probably
semi-dwarf varieties, given what you say.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Janet Tweedy

2007-11-16, 1:25 pm

In article <fhk1ev$db0$1@gemini.csx.cam.ac.uk>, Nick Maclaren
<nmm1@cus.cam.ac.uk> writes
>
>Boggle. I didn't know that they got that big - the only ones I have
>seen have been quite small.
>
>
>Regards,
>Nick Maclaren.

Er yes, this one is on pixie stock. Perhaps it should be in a tub?
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Janet Tweedy

2007-11-16, 1:25 pm

In article <fhk1c2$d4v$1@gemini.csx.cam.ac.uk>, Nick Maclaren
<nmm1@cus.cam.ac.uk> writes

>
>The size depends a lot on the pruning, and perhaps variety. They
>aren't big trees like Bramleys, and most can be pruned into 6'x6'x8'.
>But I am no expert.
>

I am worried that pruning is a "no, no" in plums?
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Rod

2007-11-16, 1:25 pm

On 16 Nov, 17:55, Janet Tweedy <j...@lancedal.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> In article <fhk1c2$d4...@gemini.csx.cam.ac.uk>, Nick Maclaren
> <n...@cus.cam.ac.uk> writes
>
>
>
>
> I am worried that pruning is a "no, no" in plums?
> --
> Janet Tweedy
> Dalmatian Telegraphhttp://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Heavy pruning cuts are to be avoided - lets in 'silver leaf fungus. I
killed a lovely ornamental cherry that way (many years ago when I
didn't know any better). Light cuts should be ok especially if done in
early summer. Have you considered fan-training for a more compact tree?

Charlie Pridham

2007-11-17, 3:25 am

In article <BUGw1BI7ldPHFwvT@ukonline.co.uk>, jan@lancedal.demon.co.uk
says...
> In article <fhk1c2$d4v$1@gemini.csx.cam.ac.uk>, Nick Maclaren
> <nmm1@cus.cam.ac.uk> writes
>
>
>
> I am worried that pruning is a "no, no" in plums?
>
I think you just have to be more careful timing wise with regard to
silver leaf disease.
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

Janet Tweedy

2007-11-18, 9:25 am

In article <MPG.21a8bb45d48658ef9896df@News.Individual.NET>, Charlie
Pridham <charlie@roselandhouse.co.uk> writes

>I think you just have to be more careful timing wise with regard to
>silver leaf disease.

Oh right - thank you.
I'm going to plant it in a HUGE ex tree tub. That way it can do what it
likes

What about loganberries? Do they need any special treatment, I was
considering them as the same as raspberries.

Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Nick Maclaren

2007-11-18, 9:25 am

In article <3Yq92OG2wCQHFwA4@ukonline.co.uk>,
Janet Tweedy <jan@lancedal.demon.co.uk> writes:
|>
|> What about loganberries? Do they need any special treatment, I was
|> considering them as the same as raspberries.

Blackberries are a better analogue - the pruning and thinning are
slightly different from raspberries. Otherwise, yes.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Janet Tweedy

2007-11-18, 8:25 pm

In article <fhpb26$kl3$1@gemini.csx.cam.ac.uk>, Nick Maclaren
<nmm1@cus.cam.ac.uk> writes
>
>In article <3Yq92OG2wCQHFwA4@ukonline.co.uk>,
>Janet Tweedy <jan@lancedal.demon.co.uk> writes:
>|>
>|> What about loganberries? Do they need any special treatment, I was
>|> considering them as the same as raspberries.
>
>Blackberries are a better analogue - the pruning and thinning are
>slightly different from raspberries. Otherwise, yes.
>
Thanks Nick, they are replacing blackberries. I gave up trying to
control a Bedford Giant and Himalayan wotsit as it was easier and just
as good to visit the local pick your own farm. This was I get my path
back

--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Charlie Pridham

2007-11-19, 3:25 am

In article <0GXdhpCD6NQHFwwH@ukonline.co.uk>, jan@lancedal.demon.co.uk
says...
> In article <fhpb26$kl3$1@gemini.csx.cam.ac.uk>, Nick Maclaren
> <nmm1@cus.cam.ac.uk> writes
> Thanks Nick, they are replacing blackberries. I gave up trying to
> control a Bedford Giant and Himalayan wotsit as it was easier and just
> as good to visit the local pick your own farm. This was I get my path
> back

>
>
They are a menace! We have Oregon thornless which crops hugely despite
our hard pruning it every year, I know you are not supposed to but it is
the only way of getting in the fruit cage!
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

Charlie Pridham

2007-11-19, 9:25 am

In article <fhrmkh$j4h$1@gemini.csx.cam.ac.uk>, nmm1@cus.cam.ac.uk
says...
>
> In article <MPG.21ab5cf87b2c353a9896ea@News.Individual.NET>,
> Charlie Pridham <charlie@roselandhouse.co.uk> writes:
> |>
> |> > >|> What about loganberries? Do they need any special treatment, I was
> |> > >|> considering them as the same as raspberries.
> |> > >
> |> > >Blackberries are a better analogue - the pruning and thinning are
> |> > >slightly different from raspberries. Otherwise, yes.
> |> > >
> |> > Thanks Nick, they are replacing blackberries. I gave up trying to
> |> > control a Bedford Giant and Himalayan wotsit as it was easier and just
> |> > as good to visit the local pick your own farm. This was I get my path
> |> > back

> |> >
> |> They are a menace! We have Oregon thornless which crops hugely despite
> |> our hard pruning it every year, I know you are not supposed to but it is
> |> the only way of getting in the fruit cage!
>
> As you may remember, I get very pissed off with the gardening books
> that describe pruning assuming that you have a multi-acre garden, and
> ignore problems such as the one you mention. What I often need to
> know is how I can prune something without harming it, not how I should
> prune it in some alternative universe. I had to invent the trick of
> treating Clematis alpina as herbaceous from scratch - none of the books
> even had a hint!
>
> I recommend the use of a machete for pruning the more vigorous Rubus
> species and varieties.
>
>
> Regards,
> Nick Maclaren.
>
Funnily enough if you speak to any Clematis nut if they grow C. alpina
they all do as you do and cut them back each May but when they write
their books it seldom gets a mention and they remain firmly in the "No
Prune" category. Perhaps you should have a go at a spot of writing!

Another area in books I get vexed about is when describing a plant they
seldom tell you what it does NOT look like or what feature distinguishes
it from other species in the genus, a lot of books read like a
nurserymans catalogue.
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

Janet Tweedy

2007-11-19, 8:25 pm

In article <MPG.21ab5cf87b2c353a9896ea@News.Individual.NET>, Charlie
Pridham <charlie@roselandhouse.co.uk> writes

>They are a menace! We have Oregon thornless which crops hugely despite
>our hard pruning it every year, I know you are not supposed to but it is
>the only way of getting in the fruit cage!

Every year I resolve to make the new growth into serpentine growths on
the wire but time and season's go past and I never actually get there
before they are too stiff to manoeuvre

--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

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