What can I do?

[Stu3k]

To be Honest , Aldi and Lidl usually have special offers of fruit trees at reasonable prices, compared to B&Q et al....

[Rupe]

I feel like the school thicko here. If they use a stump grinder will that remove the roots as well? Might call around, see if there is anyone local we can call a favour in from. Maybe I could just swing the scroat that did it and whack the stump into the ground with his head?

 

No just the stump and any surface roots. There would still be some roots, they could be going for 4 feet in every direction and if you grubbed it out you would certainly leave some. As long as those roots are not attached to the central "stump" then thats ok. You can plant in the hole (after a few months ideally) and the new tree wont have any bother from any bits of roots left.

[grim72]

Lovely, I feel fully educated and ready to go now - proof if ever it was needed of the power of a good forum with knowledgeable and helpful members. Thanks to everyone for their help and advice.

 

Just out of interest if I decided not to plant a fruit tree, what would anyone else suggest? It is the only tree in the lawn area of the garden and was a nice little feature (especially in blossom) - what would you good people do with the soon to be vacant space?

 

An idea of the garden layout below (fallen tree in background), would a fruit tree be out of place do you think? I guess I could just turn it into a flower bed or something instead.

[Stu3k]

Well i'd suggest a mountain ash(rowan) old tradition of every new scottish house planted one when ground was broken and feeds the birds as well

[janey]

For something a bit more unusual, how about a Quince (Cydonia oblonga), a Mulberry (Morus nigra) or Medlar (Mespilus germanica)?

 

They'e all small trees, very attractive and have great fruit. Google them if you want some more info' on them and try the RHS Plantfinder to source them.

 

RHS Plant Finder / RHS Gardening

[Rupe]

Side note: Do you have access for a stump grinder? I dodn't think of that before, a small grinder needs a standard door width to get through (about 30 inches dependign on make) some are bigger and then some micro ones do exist. YOu need a compnay with a machine that suit your access, if you have over 36inch of straight through access then you shoud be fine.

[agg221]

If you are looking for a fruit tree, how big can you afford it to get (height and spread)? If you have problems with people swinging on the last one, is it rather accessible and therefore do you want something where the fruit is for cooking rather than eating raw, as they're less likely to get scrumped?

 

If you have some ideas on the above I can dig out a few suggestions suited to your location. The common ones are likely to be available container grown, the less common ones would want ordering as bare-root trees for next year. The plusses are that you get what you want and it's a lot cheaper, the minus being that you would have to wait until October to plant it.

 

Alec