4-5ft Malus 'Redsleeves' | Apple Tree
The fruits are ready for picking and eating in late August and early September, and have the advantage that they excel when eaten straight from the tree, but will also store well for up to 4 weeks after picking. An attractive early apple, predominantly bright red on a yellow-green background. Good skin finish, sweet crisp and juicy fruits with a very pleasant flavour. The fruits are of moderate size and retain texture for a least 1 month after harvest. A compact, well feathered tree that needs little or no pruning. Cropping is very heavy. Fertility for pollination of other apples is very high, even at low temperatures. Redsleeves is self fertile and can be grown without any pollinator for the one tree garden, giving an excellent crop.
- Supplied As: Bare Root
- Height on Arrival: 120-150cm (4-5 ft) Height can vary depending on when you purchase your tree, and what rootstock and variety combination you buy.
- Age: 2 Years with 4 Year Rootstock
- Rootstock: M26
- Eventual Height & Spread: 3m x 3.5m
Dwarfing rootstocks produce smaller trees than the one grown on its own roots. Some rootstocks have a greater dwarfing effect than others, with M27 producing the smallest tree. While having a smaller tree may sound like a negative, it is actually highly beneficial! Dwarfing trees will crop earlier in their lives; placing more energy into their fruiting instead of vegetative growth. Nonetheless, some dwarfing rootstocks, such as M26 and M27, need permanent staking to make sure that they aren't uprooted by strong winds.
Your fruit tree will only produce fruit if their flowers have been pollinated. This is usually done by pollinating insects, which will transfer pollen from one flower to another. Honeybees, the main pollinating insect, will travel several miles in search of blossom. So if there exists another apple or crabapple within that radius it will most likely bear fruit.
Some apple trees are self-fertile, while others need a pollination partner from the same or neighbouring pollination group. Although self-fertile varieties form fruit without the help of a pollination partner, a pollination partner will still greaten their yields. Triploid trees cannot pollinate other trees, but they can be pollinated by another, and crabapples can pollinate apple trees.
- Pollination Group: 3
- Self-Fertile: Yes
- Harvesting Period: Early
- Estimated Time to Cropping: 2 Years
- Estimated Time to Best Yields: 5 Years
- Uses: Eating Fresh
We have developed an eco friendly polypot that is currently in use across our 9 litre range. This polypot has less than 20% of the plastic used by a regular pot, and is importantly recyclable. Polypots also prevent root spiraling, encouraging a healthier root system.
All trees arrive in an extra thick cardboard box with a clamp to hold their pot in place. This prevents them from moving around on their journey.
Nursery staff will wrap the roots of our bare root trees and use compost to keep them moist during transportation. This extra protection prevents them from drying out, allowing for a flying start. We also use the same specialised box that our potted trees have to keep them nice and secure as they make their way to your home.
Bare root and containerised trees have differing planting requirements, detailed below:
- Watering: Bare root trees should have their roots soaked in water for up to 2 hours before planting, while with containerised trees, it is important to drench their root ball before planting.
- Pruning: Another difference is that for bare root trees, it is useful to prune their woody roots back a few inches. However, for containerised trees, you should free any spiralized roots growing around their rootball's circumference.
- Planting: With bare root trees, you should dig a hole to enable the graft point to be above the soil, while with containerised trees, the pot should sit no lower than an inch below the ground.
- With both, you should dig a hole that is twice the radius of their rootball. Stake your trees no more than 2 - 3 inches from the stem, and make sure that they are pointing away from the prevailing wind.
- Fill the planting hole with a mix of compost and garden soil, finishing with fertiliser and mycorrhizal fungi. Take care to not compress the soil.
- Once you are happy with your efforts, give your tree a generous watering.
- Add mulch on top (this can be bark and wood chippings, compost, manure, leaf-mould, and stones), and ensure that these do not touch the stem of the tree.
- Tie the stake to your tree (and leave space for growth), and place a rabbit guard around your tree to protect it from harmful pests.
- Apply fertiliser and replace decomposed mulch come spring. When autumn arrives, remove fallen leaves to prevent the risk of disease. You should also make sure that the ties are not rubbing your tree.
Advice on hot and droopy plants
If your plants are looking a little wilted right now, don’t worry! Plants like to be filled with water to keep their structure, and when it’s hot that water evaporates.
Just give them an off-schedule watering and they’ll be right as rain in no time! Be careful not to flood them - plants don’t like extremes.
Apple trees constitute the perfect first fruit tree as they are extremely easy to grow. Your tree’s growth and output will likely be fine providing you followed our planting and care instructions. Below we address some common queries:
- Hardiness: Malus trees can be found growing in far colder regions than the UK and therefore the UK’s mild winters will not affect your tree. One issue that can affect fruit trees is frost-damaged blossom, but this is rarely the case with apples that flower late vis-a-vis other fruit species.
- Position: In the UK, the greatest barrier to successful fruiting is a lack of sunlight, so be sure to plant your tree in full sun. Planting your tree in a sheltered spot will help prevent uprooting and allow the tree to put more resources into fruiting.
- Soil Types: Soil types are best ignored and remain an unwelcome confusion. Every plant will adapt to its conditions. Having said that, less than ideal conditions will reduce growth. Every plant is suited to a specific pH and apple trees prefer soils with a pH between 6.5-7.5. pHs beyond this range will reduce nutrient uptake. Waterlogged soils will starve your tree of oxygen, which plays a key role in photosynthesis, cause its roots to rot and create the perfect environment for many diseases.
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| Colour Test | Sand |
|---|---|
| Harvesting Period | Mid (Aug-Sep), Early (July-Aug) |
| Features | Fruiting Plants For Shade, Self-Fertile Apple Trees |
| Harvest Month | July, August, September |
| Is Collection/Mix? | No |
| Needs Ericaceous Compost? | No |
| Self Fertile | Yes |
| Spacing | 3.5 |
| Species | Apple Trees, Fruit Trees |
| Time To Crop | 2 Years |
| Type | Apple |
| Uses | Dessert |
| Eventual Height | 2m-4m |
| Eventual Spread | 2m-4m |
| Foliage Colour | Green |
| Material | Clay |
| Pollination Group | 3 |
| Annual Rate Of Growth | Fast Growing |
| Rootstock | M26 Semi-Dwarfing |
| Supplied As | Bare Root |
| Rootstock | Semi Dwarfing |
| Supplied As | Bare Root |
| Type | Fruit Trees |
| Suitable For Shade | Suitable for Shade |
| Special Offers | Save on Bare Root |
| Shop By Category | Fruit Trees |