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These fruits prefer a good fertile soil with lime, potash and nitrogen and do not like being exposed to cold winds. Frost pockets should be avoided if possible.
Their pollination is usually determined by flowering time, (see number before name) although quite a few are self-fertile, and varieties in the same, or next, pollination group will usually cross-pollinate.
The numbers before the name represent flowering time. Varieties are listed in order of ripening, although this can vary according to garden conditions.
Whilst most are grown on semi-dwarf St Julian A rootstock, we have some on the dwarfing Pixie. When trained on a wall fruiting will be earlier and it will pay to protect blossom with fleece when frost is forecast.
With walls, plants can suffer from lack of water which results in partial or TOTAL loss of crop and considerable loss of quality. Gages in particular will produce fruit of superb quality when grown on walls, a factor that affects most fruits to some degree.
Pruning is done in the spring or early summer to avoid infection from Silver Leaf. We paint all wounds, and have never had Silver Leaf disease.
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