I'm in inner city Leeds, Yorkshire so there's no point in southerners
bothering to reply - conditions are very different :-)

I want to get an apricot tree, I'm assured that they will produce fruit here
if grown in a protected, sunny site.

I can do that but not with a wall behind it, which is recommended, unless we
build one which would have to be done from the friendly neighbour's garden.
He's co-operative and wants to build a garage in that spot anyway -
eventually.

The site is reasonably sheltered and gets full sun (when it's out!). The
local temperature is higher than in less built-up regions.

Would it help to put a temporary panel of a less heat retentive material -
wood, plastic, glass - until a wall can be built?

Would the panel (hem!) advise training the apricot as a fan or other shape
or having it as a small tree? I'd prefer it to be flat against the
fence/wall.

Do I need to know anything else?

Mary

On 28 Feb, 16:13, "Mary Fisher" wrote:
I'm in inner city Leeds, Yorkshire so there's no point in southerners
bothering to reply - conditions are very different :-)

I want to get an apricot tree, I'm assured that they will produce fruit here
if grown in a protected, sunny site.

I can do that but not with a wall behind it, which is recommended, unless we
build one which would have to be done from the friendly neighbour's garden.
He's co-operative and wants to build a garage in that spot anyway -
eventually.

The site is reasonably sheltered and gets full sun (when it's out!). The
local temperature is higher than in less built-up regions.

Would it help to put a temporary panel of a less heat retentive material -
wood, plastic, glass - until a wall can be built?

Would the panel (hem!) advise training the apricot as a fan or other shape
or having it as a small tree? I'd prefer it to be flat against the
fence/wall.

Do I need to know anything else?

Mary

Kay, is your man Mary as she is in Leeds and I think I can remember
Kay having an apricot in her garden.

Come in Kay.

Judith

wrote in message
oups.com...

Kay, is your man Mary as she is in Leeds

Well, a few miles from me :-)

and I think I can remember
Kay having an apricot in her garden.

I didn't know that! It gives me hope :-)

Mary

On 28 Feb, 17:08, "Mary Fisher" wrote:
wrote in message

oups.com...



Kay, is your man Mary as she is in Leeds

Well, a few miles from me :-)

and I think I can remember
Kay having an apricot in her garden.

I didn't know that! It gives me hope :-)

Mary

Kay is an absolute expert and if she doesn't know, I'm sure she will
point you in the direction of a man who does i.e. cue Cormaic in
Warrington, is that near you?

Judith

wrote in message
oups.com...
On 28 Feb, 17:08, "Mary Fisher" wrote:
wrote in message

oups.com...



Kay, is your man Mary as she is in Leeds

Well, a few miles from me :-)

and I think I can remember
Kay having an apricot in her garden.

I didn't know that! It gives me hope :-)

Mary

Kay is an absolute expert

I know!

and if she doesn't know, I'm sure she will
point you in the direction of a man who does i.e. cue Cormaic in
Warrington, is that near you?

Oh, Kay's fine for me, if anything she's more exposed than we are and if she
can grow an apricot I'm sure we'll be fine. Warrington's much further away
:-)

But thanks!

Mary

Judith

Mary Fisher wrote:
I'm in inner city Leeds, Yorkshire so there's no point in southerners
bothering to reply - conditions are very different :-)

I want to get an apricot tree, I'm assured that they will produce fruit here
if grown in a protected, sunny site.

I can do that but not with a wall behind it, which is recommended, unless we
build one which would have to be done from the friendly neighbour's garden.
He's co-operative and wants to build a garage in that spot anyway -
eventually.

The site is reasonably sheltered and gets full sun (when it's out!). The
local temperature is higher than in less built-up regions.

Would it help to put a temporary panel of a less heat retentive material -
wood, plastic, glass - until a wall can be built?

Would the panel (hem!) advise training the apricot as a fan or other shape
or having it as a small tree? I'd prefer it to be flat against the
fence/wall.

Do I need to know anything else?

Mary,

I'm on the Leeds/Wakefield Border in East Ardsley, and 2 years ago I put
in a maiden Apricot, against a wall. It's made slow progress, so I can't
report flowers or fruit yet. I'm training as a fan against the wall. I
thought I was mad (the family think so too :-) so I'm really glad to see
someone else wanting to try this. I'm not sure Kay has an apricot? I don't
remember seeing one when she showed me round her garden a couple of years
ago.

I'm sure you could get an apricot started before the wall is in place -
but you'd have to be very very carefull building the wall not to damage
the tree. I think one of the reasons a wall is usefull is that you can
support fleece for covering the apricot, should there be danger of frost
when the tree is in flower.

Jim

"Jim Jackson" wrote in message
...
Mary Fisher wrote:
I'm in inner city Leeds, Yorkshire so there's no point in southerners
bothering to reply - conditions are very different :-)

I want to get an apricot tree, I'm assured that they will produce fruit
here
if grown in a protected, sunny site.

I can do that but not with a wall behind it, which is recommended, unless
we
build one which would have to be done from the friendly neighbour's
garden.
He's co-operative and wants to build a garage in that spot anyway -
eventually.

The site is reasonably sheltered and gets full sun (when it's out!). The
local temperature is higher than in less built-up regions.

Would it help to put a temporary panel of a less heat retentive
material -
wood, plastic, glass - until a wall can be built?

Would the panel (hem!) advise training the apricot as a fan or other
shape
or having it as a small tree? I'd prefer it to be flat against the
fence/wall.

Do I need to know anything else?

Mary,

I'm on the Leeds/Wakefield Border in East Ardsley, and 2 years ago I put
in a maiden Apricot, against a wall. It's made slow progress, so I can't
report flowers or fruit yet. I'm training as a fan against the wall. I
thought I was mad (the family think so too :-) so I'm really glad to see
someone else wanting to try this. I'm not sure Kay has an apricot? I don't
remember seeing one when she showed me round her garden a couple of years
ago.

I'm sure you could get an apricot started before the wall is in place -
but you'd have to be very very carefull building the wall not to damage
the tree. I think one of the reasons a wall is usefull is that you can
support fleece for covering the apricot, should there be danger of frost
when the tree is in flower.

Thanks for that, Jim. I don't think you're mad at all. I haven't had a full
tour of Kay's garden so don't know about hers.

I've had so much conflicting 'expert' advice from professional growers and
books and websites that we've very confused. I suspect that I'm in too much
of a hurry (you get like that as you get closer to your box !) and that I
should put more thought into it.

The wall will be built for other reasons even if we don't get an apricot.
The neighbour is very amenable. About four or five years ago we built a 1m
high retaining wall at the end of his garden, with proper foundations and
piers. The proposed wall will be an extension of this.

If we do get a tree it seems that it might be better to prepare the site
thoroughly and buy it in autumn rather than this spring. It will be
important to grow one which flowers late, I think, to avoid possible frost
damage.

My first idea was that fan training would be best (and good to look at) but
it would take up a large spread of the wall and space is tight. It would
also possibly take more management than a tree, time and physical abilities
are diminishing. If we let it grow as a tree I want to make sure I can get a
dwarf one, even eight feet high would really be too much.

I'm really just musing now, I'm very grateful for all the advice given here
and if I do get a tree I'll let you all know what happens. In the meantime,
Jim, could you mail me please?

Mary

Jim Jackson writes

I'm on the Leeds/Wakefield Border in East Ardsley, and 2 years ago I put
in a maiden Apricot, against a wall. It's made slow progress, so I can't
report flowers or fruit yet. I'm training as a fan against the wall. I
thought I was mad (the family think so too :-) so I'm really glad to see
someone else wanting to try this. I'm not sure Kay has an apricot? I don't
remember seeing one when she showed me round her garden a couple of years
ago.

No, you're right, I don't have an apricot. Most warmth-loving fruit I
can offer is a fig, which is cropping well!
--
Kay

On Mar 4, 5:48 pm, K wrote:
Jim Jackson writes

I'm on the Leeds/Wakefield Border in East Ardsley, and 2 years ago I put
in a maiden Apricot, against a wall. It's made slow progress, so I can't
report flowers or fruit yet. I'm training as a fan against the wall. I
thought I was mad (the family think so too :-) so I'm really glad to see
someone else wanting to try this. I'm not sure Kay has an apricot? I don't
remember seeing one when she showed me round her garden a couple of years
ago.

No, you're right, I don't have an apricot. Most warmth-loving fruit I
can offer is a fig, which is cropping well!
--
Kay

Sorry Kay, I thought I could remember an apricot on the wall of the
bedroom I slept in.

Judith

wrote in message
ps.com...
On Mar 4, 5:48 pm, K wrote:
Jim Jackson writes

I'm on the Leeds/Wakefield Border in East Ardsley, and 2 years ago I put
in a maiden Apricot, against a wall. It's made slow progress, so I can't
report flowers or fruit yet. I'm training as a fan against the wall. I
thought I was mad (the family think so too :-) so I'm really glad to see
someone else wanting to try this. I'm not sure Kay has an apricot? I
don't
remember seeing one when she showed me round her garden a couple of
years
ago.

No, you're right, I don't have an apricot. Most warmth-loving fruit I
can offer is a fig, which is cropping well!
--
Kay

Sorry Kay, I thought I could remember an apricot on the wall of the
bedroom I slept in.

Judith

That was the wallpaper:-)
I can't remember where I saw it but someone has an apricot growing somewhere
in North Yorkshire. I know it's against a wall in a sheltered area but that
could fit a thousand places.

"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" writes

wrote in message
ups.com...
On Mar 4, 5:48 pm, K wrote:
Jim Jackson writes

I'm on the Leeds/Wakefield Border in East Ardsley, and 2 years ago I put
in a maiden Apricot, against a wall. It's made slow progress, so I can't
report flowers or fruit yet. I'm training as a fan against the wall. I
thought I was mad (the family think so too :-) so I'm really glad to see
someone else wanting to try this. I'm not sure Kay has an apricot? I
don't
remember seeing one when she showed me round her garden a couple of
years
ago.

No, you're right, I don't have an apricot. Most warmth-loving fruit I
can offer is a fig, which is cropping well!

Sorry Kay, I thought I could remember an apricot on the wall of the
bedroom I slept in.


That was the wallpaper:-)

What makes you so sure there was wallpaper? ;-)

We still haven't got the whole house decorated, and although that room
is one of the ones that has been done, I don't think it had been done
when Judith stayed.



--
Kay

" writes
On Mar 4, 5:48 pm, K wrote:
Jim Jackson writes

I'm on the Leeds/Wakefield Border in East Ardsley, and 2 years ago I put
in a maiden Apricot, against a wall. It's made slow progress, so I can't
report flowers or fruit yet. I'm training as a fan against the wall. I
thought I was mad (the family think so too :-) so I'm really glad to see
someone else wanting to try this. I'm not sure Kay has an apricot? I don't
remember seeing one when she showed me round her garden a couple of years
ago.

No, you're right, I don't have an apricot. Most warmth-loving fruit I
can offer is a fig, which is cropping well!

Sorry Kay, I thought I could remember an apricot on the wall of the
bedroom I slept in.

No need for apologies!

--
Kay

"K" wrote in message
...

....


... I don't have an apricot. Most warmth-loving fruit I can offer is a
fig, which is cropping well!

There's one in a neighbour's garden with no shelter and it crops abundantly.
Her mother planted it but she's dead.

Trouble is, the daughter never goes into the garden so the fruit decays. I
look at this year's harvest longingly but I know they'll all be wasted :-(

Mary

"Mary Fisher" wrote
"K" wrote in message
... I don't have an apricot. Most warmth-loving fruit I can offer is
a fig, which is cropping well!

There's one in a neighbour's garden with no shelter and it crops
abundantly. Her mother planted it but she's dead.

Trouble is, the daughter never goes into the garden so the fruit
decays. I look at this year's harvest longingly but I know they'll all
be wasted :-(

Would she let you pick them if you asked? You could swap for a jar of
honey. ;-)

--
Sue

"Sue" wrote in message
...

"Mary Fisher" wrote
"K" wrote in message
... I don't have an apricot. Most warmth-loving fruit I can offer is
a fig, which is cropping well!

There's one in a neighbour's garden with no shelter and it crops
abundantly. Her mother planted it but she's dead.

Trouble is, the daughter never goes into the garden so the fruit
decays. I look at this year's harvest longingly but I know they'll all
be wasted :-(

Would she let you pick them if you asked? You could swap for a jar of
honey. ;-)

She won't have anything to do with any of the neighbours - even though most
of us have known her since she was born. She used to play with our children
of the same age, later she'd go swimming with us every week, one of the
neighbours practically brought up her now teenage daughter, nobody can
understand it. Her toddler never goes in the garden despite lots of toys,
swings, playhouse etc are in there. Her mother will be turning in her grave,
although I didn't like her garden she loved it and was always in there, it
was a riot of blooms and always tidy. It was her pride and joy. Now it's
overgrown with weeds and plastic playthings.

And a flourishing fig :-(

Mary

--
Sue