Orchard Fruit
Grow an orchard of love
Apples, pears, plums and cherries grow on trees which you can train as a fan or espalier to grow against a sunny wall if you’re short on space. Some varieties need “pollination partners” to maximise the crop – this usually means a tree of the same variety growing nearby, although apple trees need specific varieties (your supplier should let you know which ones). These need annual pruning to keep them productive but are worth the effort and will fruit for many years.
The flowers of all orchard fruit are extremely popular with bees, particularly the solitary red mason bee. The leaves and bark are used by other insects, and if you share your cherries with the blackbirds and leave windfall fruit for birds and butterflies in autumn, they will be very grateful!
More information about growing orchard fruit from Garden Organic is available here.