5ft 'Robada' Apricot Tree | SJA Semi Vigorous Rootstock | 12L Pot | By Frank P Matthews™

Fruit trees are often budded or grafted onto a rootstock by their nursery, which means their roots are of a different plant to that of their branches and fruit. As a consequence, you will have a variety with the best qualities of two plants (such as good roots and fruiting). An important result of a rootstock is the ability to control the size of the plant. However, this can still be impacted by a number of factors:

• The fruit variety
• Pruning
• Soil type
• Planting position

Some varieties are naturally more vigorous than others, so this will affect how much they grow each year. For example, a Bramley Apple seedling will naturally grow bigger than a Cox’s Orange Pippin Apple seedling. The correct pruning will also help to control the size of your plant, as well as encouraging it to produce flower buds from which fruit develop.

Your plant’s soil and planting location will also affect its resulting size. Most need a good amount of sunshine to grow well (and also for their fruit to ripen with a high sugar content). Trees growing in cold, open spots will grow slower than those that are protected and warm. The same is true for soil, with those growing in light sandy soils often growing more slowly, while those planted in rich, fertile soils being more vigorous.