Fruit trees - best time to buy/plant

[newspud9]

I might be getting some extra space and I'm thinking about planting some pear, apple and plum trees because at the moment my half-plot is just too small.  Depending on which supplier site you go to, some say none available after March and others say "buy now" (there's a surprise).  So I'm not sure when is the best time to buy and plant - either maidens or 2-year olds.  What's the opinion on this and do you have suggestions for types which do particularly well in terms of fruit quality (which I accept can be personal opinion) but also types which are less prone to disease.
Thanks to all for responses
Chris

[newspud9]

[goodlife]

Ok..the difference with planting times are because..in winter you buy bare rooted trees which planting time has finnished now...pot grown you can plant any time of the year..but they are more expensive too..
I personally always go for bare root..and those you normally get from November to March..
As for fruit quality..most depends how you look after your trees...even the "fool hardy" ones won't give you the perfect apple without some care...
But most of the fruit buying is a lot of research...in it is worth it..if you only have room for just few, why not buy something interesting and different..nurseries normally list merits for each individual fruits..like hardiness.disease resistance....
My favourite nurseries are....
http://www.deaconsnurseryfruits.co.uk/
www.rvroger.co.uk

[grannyjanny]

Newspud9 we have a half plot & last year we bought 5 fruit trees, 3 apple & 2 pear from Lidls. They were £3.99 each. We planted them as an oblique cordon & they look great. We had 2 apples last year. It was an amazing feeling picking an apple you have grown yourself. Our daughter has just got a half plot & we went fruit shopping for her yesterday. We bought 5 fruit trees for her from Morrison's at £5 each & they look in really good condition. One of them is recommended for planting at an angle. The people on our site thought we had spent a fortune on our tees. None of them belong to A4A so they don't know where the bargains are ;).

[grannyjanny]

Forgot to say we will be planting as soon as OH has dug & manured the area allocated to them.

[goodlife]

 ;D...and when will this be then?.... ;D..would it be safer to pot them up? ;)

[grannyjanny]

Daughter has ordered manure for the weekend so we will make a start on Monday morning. They are in the shade in our carport. Can't wait ;D. We might smuggle some manure home with us as it looks so good ;) more like compost than manure.

[shirlton]

I know that this is an old post but can someone tell me what oblique fruit training is.

[goodlife]

Hmmm..oblique training..well..when you position tree or branch of the tree to grow certain angle to affect it's sap flow to either/and restrict/encourage its growth and manage the formation of flowers and fruit... ::) does that help?

[shirlton]

 :-\ ???

[calendula]

it is just cordon training at an angle

http://www.readsnursery.co.uk/reads-fruit-training.html

[shirlton]

Thankyou

[grannyjanny]

Deb P is the oblique cordon queen in my book. She has them going both ways which I would like to do. Shirl if you have a look on Deb's gallery I think there are some pics.

[shirlton]

Ok will take a look. Thanks Jan

[Robert_Brenchley]

Basically the further off vertical a branch is, the slower it grows, and the more energy it has for fruit.