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All about apples, pears, plums, and cherries - and orchards where they are grown

Bess Pool Apple tree

Owner: Jan

Location:  Castel D'Aiano, BOLOGNA, Italy

Age:Planted in about
Rootstock:MM106 (I think)
Soil:shallow clay/chalk on rock 
Pruning:Not Yet
Tree form:Bush (wider at top than bottom)
Height:Between 6ft / 2m and 15ft / 4m
Cropping:Light crops
Growth:This tree grows fairly well here
Herbicides:Manual treatment (hoeing and weeding)
Pesticides:Chemical treatments
Local pests:aphids,canker,codling moth,deer,wild boar,processional (I think moths) plant louse (some kind of sap-sucking hemipteran)

Owner's comments

A bit disappointing so far, but more assiduous weed control, mulching and feeding seem to have made a big difference to its development and health, so we are hoping for a better crop next year. Our Italian neighbours tell us its proximity to a large walnut tree could be having an adverse effect. It also seems to be affected by localised areas of mildew on new shoots.