lidl bare root fruit trees

ladybirdbaby1

hi,

yesterday i bought a bare root fruit tree from Lidl. It seems good to me, but then i have no idea about fruit trees.

It says it is called Malus Domestica "Braeburn", and this is why i bought it, cause we love braeburn apples.

My question is this: Are these trees really the same as those from a nursery? are they in anyway "sub-standard"? cause if it is just that they are a year or two younger, and this is reflected in the price, i would def buy more. I just dont want to wait 4 years to find out!!

any thoughts?

jinkybhoy

i planted mine a 4 years back - never got any fruit but I only got them to fill up space so wasn't too bothered. they have grown well. got a few pears from pear tress though.

Sgt Pepper 64

ladybirdbaby1 wrote: »

hi,

yesterday i bought a bare root fruit tree from Lidl. It seems good to me, but then i have no idea about fruit trees.

It says it is called Malus Domestica "Braeburn", and this is why i bought it, cause we love braeburn apples.

My question is this: Are these trees really the same as those from a nursery? are they in anyway "sub-standard"? cause if it is just that they are a year or two younger, and this is reflected in the price, i would def buy more. I just dont want to wait 4 years to find out!!

any thoughts?

I dont think they would be "sub standard" What you pay extra for from a nursery is the rootstock and being more mature.
Rootstock is mainly about how big they will get.

Its worth doing some google research though.
Many fruit trees are not self fertile and need a suitable pollinator
(for example cox's orange pippin)

So its back to Lidls you go!

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/fruit/fruit-trees/apple-and-pear-trees/-apple-braeburn/cww3228TM

Apple 'Braeburn' produces huge crops of bi-coloured, smooth skinned, crisp and juicy fruits. This well known variety earns its popularity by being easy to grow, early to crop from a young age, and having excellent storage potential. The heavy crops of flavoursome apples can be harvested in October and will store for up to 4 months.

Grafted onto a dwarfing rootstock, the crowns of 'Braeburn' apple trees are easily reached to prune, spray and pick your delicious fruit. 'Braeburn' is not self-fertile so for the heaviest crops it is best grown with Cox's Orange Pippin. If you only have room for one tree then make sure that a neighbour has a tree close by that can act as suitable pollinator. Height and spread: 2.5m (8') Rootstock: M9.

Estimated time to cropping once planted: 2 years.
Estimated time to best yields: 5 years.

ladybirdbaby1

brilliant, thanks for that, it was the news i was hoping for! i don't mind if i have to wait to it to mature, i'll be here anyway!

if anyone else has any other information, i'd love to hear it!

Gautama

ladybirdbaby1 wrote: »

My question is this: Are these trees really the same as those from a nursery? are they in anyway "sub-standard"?

I suspect that the care may be sub-standard.

redser7

I got one and had a small crop after 2 years in the ground. Was pleased with this for it's first year cropping.

ladybirdbaby1

ok, yeah, i wouldn't expect every apple we eat to be off this tree, just more nice to see an apple or two on our tree. You know, fruit trees in our area range from 25-50 euro, and this is clearly a fraction of the price. the gamble is really on the space they take in the garden, if it doesn't pull its weight. But i think you have convinced me that is it worth a shot, i shall be down to lidl in the morning!

Sgt Pepper 64

ladybirdbaby1 wrote: »

ok, yeah, i wouldn't expect every apple we eat to be off this tree, just more nice to see an apple or two on our tree. You know, fruit trees in our area range from 25-50 euro, and this is clearly a fraction of the price. the gamble is really on the space they take in the garden, if it doesn't pull its weight. But i think you have convinced me that is it worth a shot, i shall be down to lidl in the morning!

Great stuff! "Katy" ahs always done well for me if you see that one.

Theres a fancy way of growing them but personally I just like the look of the traditional

http://www.orangepippintrees.co.uk/articles/fruit-tree-fans-and-espaliers


http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/espalier-apple-trees-zmaz93onztak.aspx

redser7

I've heard far more good things than bad about Aldi/Lidl fruit bushes and trees.

shotie

i got 5 trees few years ago from aldi and there now big soild trees fruited every year, bought few more this year for another spot in the garden hopefully they will be just as good

ladybirdbaby1

great!

i went back to lidl today, and i got two more (we only have a small garden), another braeburn and one called summerred, never heard of it before, its meant to be self-fertile and also good with braeburn. Also it says it is very vigorous, which is good.

I also took the suggestion of espalier - ing the trees, which is really convienent in our small garden... i hope i have done it right! i follow the instructions i could find! if not, only 15 euros lost!

Sgt Pepper 64

ladybirdbaby1 wrote: »

great!

i went back to lidl today, and i got two more (we only have a small garden), another braeburn and one called summerred, never heard of it before, its meant to be self-fertile and also good with braeburn. Also it says it is very vigorous, which is good.

I also took the suggestion of espalier - ing the trees, which is really convienent in our small garden... i hope i have done it right! i follow the instructions i could find! if not, only 15 euros lost!

Well done, I hope they fruit well for you.
I was in Lidl's myself and they had a Bramley Cooking apple one as well.
Self fertile and Ive grown one before, very easy apple tree. Give it 5 years and your be up to your neck in apple pies!

some advice on feeding

https://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=539

monkeynuz

I have never been in a lidl or aldi at all so wouldn't be able to comment about quality, I would however fear for the future of irish growers and irish varieties of trees when these sort of shops devalue the worth of nurseries trying to survive in ireland.

Sgt Pepper 64

monkeynuz wrote: »

I have never been in a lidl or aldi at all so wouldn't be able to comment about quality, I would however fear for the future of irish growers and irish varieties of trees when these sort of shops devalue the worth of nurseries trying to survive in ireland.

I don't think it will affect them that much. These are very young trees and if anything it might encourage people to go to a nursery.

I do hope it provides a wake up call though.
Many of the nurseries I have been to are full of badly pot bound plants that have seen better days with old faded labels and no one interested in helping or selling.
The ones that survive will have a good web site (essential in this day and age) and offer a good service with advice, clear labels and suggestions and help with growing and suitable partners.

monkeynuz

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

I don't think it will affect them that much. These are very young trees and if anything it might encourage people to go to a nursery.

I do hope it provides a wake up call though.
Many of the nurseries I have been to are full of badly pot bound plants that have seen better days with old faded labels and no one interested in helping or selling.
The ones that survive will have a good web site (essential in this day and age) and offer a good service with advice, clear labels and suggestions and help with growing and suitable partners.

Yes, it does encourage people to go to nurseries, to quote some nursery friends of mine "they come in and look at the plants and trees and then tell the owner, you are selling these for €5 I can get 3 in lidl/aldi for €1" then they get in their car and leave, price is the deciding factor people don't perceive quality anymore. The old saying knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing.

Sgt Pepper 64

monkeynuz wrote: »

Yes, it does encourage people to go to nurseries, to quote some nursery friends of mine "they come in and look at the plants and trees and then tell the owner, you are selling these for €5 I can get 3 in lidl/aldi for €1" then they get in their car and leave, price is the deciding factor people don't perceive quality anymore. The old saying knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing.

Then its up to the nursery to sell it to them then.
I've been in nursery's and garden centres where the staff act as salesmen.
They point out the advantages of buying from them and give them the personal service and advice you don't get supermarkets.
Some people will pay more if they are confident they are getting a quality product and will remember someone taking time out to talk to them.
Look at the OP of this thread. Lidl wouldn't have been able to answer the questions.
In any business you have to do everything you can to survive and that's means good training, and being service AND sales orientated.
If some one said "can get 3 in lidl for €1", then you counter that by saying that these are more mature plants, healthier, been well looked after, will give you fruit quicker (the object of the buying a fruit tree) and following up by asking them where they are going to be planted, soil etc etc
Taking an interest will get you as sale.
you HAVE to be a salesperson and have an interest in your customers that's how you take on the supermarkets.
You wont win everytime but at least you would have tried.
Go to a nursery and see if anyone bothers to come up and talk to you, that will give you a clue

monkeynuz

You make a good point however a lot of people go to the nursery get the advice then still go to the supermarket. The same happens with high street shops and internet sellers, they get the advice then buy online. You won't convince a lot of people to buy the right thing, I have it on here all the time with lawnmowers, people want cheap they don't want reliable. Then they complain 3 years down the line that the cheap mower has stopped working lol.

ladybirdbaby1

i would absolutely prefer to buy from a nursery, for all the reasons stated above. but given our own financial situation, it isn't an option for us, though i have bought many (if not all) our plants from local nurseries. thanks again for all your advice, i'll let you know in 4 years if it was a bad idea!

2 stroke

I have fruit trees purchassed from both aldi and lidl, and trees purchassed from garden centers. The trees from garden centers were a little dearer but they have thrived better with less scab problems than the german ones.

jpb14

ladybirdbaby1 wrote: »

i would absolutely prefer to buy from a nursery, for all the reasons stated above. but given our own financial situation, it isn't an option for us, though i have bought many (if not all) our plants from local nurseries. thanks again for all your advice, i'll let you know in 4 years if it was a bad idea!

should have gone to national tree week today down in powerscourt gardens,lots of trees were given away for free by coillte and lots of fruit trees going for next to nothing on the market stalls from some of the nurseries that were there.got a few nice trees namely common birch,holly and verburnum for free and some nice apple trees,also some raspberry canes too.

Sgt Pepper 64

jpb14 wrote: »

should have gone to national tree week today down in powerscourt gardens,lots of trees were given away for free by coillte and lots of fruit trees going for next to nothing on the market stalls from some of the nurseries that were there.got a few nice trees namely common birch,holly and verburnum for free and some nice apple trees,also some raspberry canes too.

AAAAH! How did I miss this?!!

jpb14

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

AAAAH! How did I miss this?!!

it was promoted on tv3 all last week on their upcomming events guide.also on powerscourts website too,rte news was there covering the event and they showed it on the 6pm news earlier this evening,theres 100 different tree related events taking place this week around ireland.it rained for a bit but then the sun came out and it was a real nice day from around 2pm onwards.
http://www.powerscourt.ie/events
http://www.treecouncil.ie/initiatives/treeweek2014.html

muckety

I got some fruit trees in Lidl about 4 years ago - 2 apples and 2 plums. The apple trees are growing well, one even had a few apples last year. One plum didn't survive, the other is growing but has not yet fruited.

So based on my experience, I'd say that its fine to buy in Lidl but you will wait a while before you see any fruit. My local garden centre charges 25 - 30e for a good sized tree that will fruit immediately.

recedite

I bought 5 trees, apples and pears, from Lidl 2 years ago, and I just stuck them in small holes in a temporary position, as expected about half of them to die. They did very well and I moved them last autumn, putting a bit more work into siting them and digging the planting holes. Great root growth over the two seasons and really healthy foliage.

A couple of years ago I got native breed apple trees from seedsavers in Co Clare, but one died, the other has had recurring scab since I got it.
So full marks to Lidl for the trees and bigger shrubs, but don't buy the small bulbs and tubers there, they seem to dehydrate to death while in the shop.

periodictable

Bought many various Lidl/Aldi fruit trees 8 years back and grouped them in out of the way places around the land.
All fruit, some well, some so-so, but a treat for visitors to stumble upon.
You should keep an eye out for well-shaped trees, and check the graft to see that it is solid.
Cheap because of guaranteed market and economies of scale. But, remember the tree will perform according to the site/soil quality.

Macy0161

Nurseries have done a pretty good job at restricting varieties themselves - hence the likes of seed savers trying to save Irish varieties!

I did plant some Lidl/ Aldi trees a few years ago, and most of them "took", but the following winter the deer got them unfortunately. However, on reflection and after more research, I don't think they would've thrived in my location. Or maybe thrived is wrong - I don't think I would've got a lot of fruit. Not because there's anything wrong with the trees, but there are better varieties and rootstock that would be better for my location.

cotton

I planted some Lidl pear & plum trees last year. Got some pears out of it but no plums at all. Looking to get some apple trees now, not sure where to go.

qzy

I have a few Lidl and Aldi fruit trees amongst quite a few nursery grown trees. The lidl trees have all fruited quite well so far, but there is one issue - apart from one Cox Pippin Tree, they are not the varities they were on the labels. I have never had this issue with the Nursery trees I have to say.

periodictable

monkeynuz wrote: »

I have never been in a lidl or aldi at all so wouldn't be able to comment about quality, I would however fear for the future of irish growers and irish varieties of trees when these sort of shops devalue the worth of nurseries trying to survive in ireland.

True but let me tell you many nurseries are rip off centres.
They are overpriced and the quality is poor.
For example I bought some giant white japanese cherries for €15 each, 8'high, bareroot, growing wonderfully, excellent form, and saw potbound cherries of similar size for €35-€49. Talk about taking the piss.
Shop around people.

jay0109

I bought a Stanley Plum tree in Lidl at the weekend and will plant it in the coming days. The ideal sun spot in my garden due to existing trees is along a boundary wall with my neighbour.
Can someone advise if planting this type of tree close to a wall is advisable i.e. will the tree/roots grow to such an extent over time that they may undermine the structure of the wall?

recedite

The tree itself will benefit from being near the wall. But don't plant it within about 60cm of the actual wall where the soil is too dry.

If the wall starts to suffer, then chop the tree. You will have got a good few crops by then anyway. Plum is not a long lived tree, they deteriorate after about 10 years.