"cliff_the_gardener" wrote in message
ps.com...
Mary

Apricot and peach are fine grown up here but they do need protection.
May I offer this system which seens to work well.
The tree was trained against a south faciing fence pannel, raised 9
inches off the ground so that a frost pocket sis not develope behind
it. The fence posts where extended so that they where a good couple
of feet higher than the panel.
The panel provides a suprising degree of warmth. The extended posts
are used to provide a top covering - angle bracket like to stop water
damage to the fruit and reduce fungal disease spread by water
droplets.

I wondered about using timber fencing but it does need maintenance ...

The one thing I would be concerned about, is that if you are intending
to use your neighbours wall then there is a possibility or root damage
in preparing the wall. Why not grow it on in a container until the
wall is ready - if there is a risk of root damage

The wall is between the neighbour and us, it was built by us as a retaining
wall to prevent a bank of earth in our garden falling into his, which it had
done for decades. We needed to make a foxproof barrier too so a chain link
fence was fitted at the top of the wall. There would be no root disturbance
now because our proposed wall is just an extension of the lower retaining
wall. All the distrubance was years ago and it's all settled now with plants
and hedging growing well.

A container grown tree would be fine for younger people but we're a bit past
all that lugging about :-)

I know of several members of the Northern Fruit Group growing apricots
(predominatly Moorpark, Farmingdale and Flavorcot) in the Leeds area -
mainly in protected / under cover situations though.

That's interesting ...

The Northern Fruit Group has an allotment garden over at Fartown,
Huddersfield and there is a meeting there on 13th & 25th March. If
you want any info - please feel free to ask.

That's interesting too, I couldn't make the 13th because I'm having surgery
in Harrogate on 12th but the later one would be possible. If you could mail
me privately with deatails I'd appreciate it.

I'm not giving up totally on the project, just doing more research instead
of jumping in and regretting it later.

Thanks,

Mary

Regards
Clifford
Bawtry, Doncaster, South Yorkshire