Home grown goodness - nothing beats picking fresh from your own tree and the popularity of growing your own fruit is proving more popular than ever as we strive to know more about where our produce comes from. Following Portstone's tip for growing your own fruit;

First decide what you want to grow then order it so you will not be disappointed as many varieties sell out quickly. Our availability list comes out in April and the trees arrive in July to be planted in winter to allow the roots to be established before the spring growth begins. Choose an open, sunny position for your fruit tree. A lot of fruit trees can grow very tall so make sure you have good space. Planting in a Evergrow bag is a good option as these are designed to restrict root growth and as a consequence control the growth rate and fruitfulness of fruiting plants. When planting dig a large hole at least twice the width of the root ball and add either compost or sheep pellets, dig this matter in and place the tree into the hole. Add more compost. Give the newly planted tree a good water, adding a seaweed based plant tonic. This helps with transplanting shock and encourages healthy growth. Mulching is important, especially during hot summers. Pea straw, or Tui Mulch n Feed are good options. Well watered, well nourished fruit trees will have a better chance of keeping insect pests and diseases and give you juicier fruit. You will need to prune your fruit trees. Be sure to remove all diseased, damaged or dead wood. Remove any branches that are crossing or rubbing. Cut away any branches that are growing back into the centre of the tree. Thin over crowded area of your tree’s canopy and shape.

You can email your fruit tree wish list below