Bare Root Old Greengage Tree Options Explained
Maiden St Julien A Grows to 3.5m: 1-2 year old tree, is the blank slate used to create all future shapes and forms e.g. bush, half-standard, espalier etc.
Maiden Pixy / VVA1 Grows to 3.0m: 1-2 year old tree, is the blank slate used to create all future shapes and forms e.g. bush, half-standard, espalier etc.
Pixy/VVA1 Grows to 3.0m: 2-3 year old tree, grows to around 3m.
St Julien A Bush Grows to 3.5m: 2-3 year old tree, grows to around 3.5m.
St. Julien A (Half Standard) Grows to 3.5m: 2-3 year old tree, grows to around 3.5m but has been pruned to be half standard i.e. clear stem and rounded head like a lollipop.
Bare Root Old Greengage Tree. Click the link for containerised Old Green Gage
Apparently the Old Green Gage tree is considered old fashioned. We are not sure why and can only speculate that from time to time it maybe partial to a flat cap and pipe.
The flavour is very rich with a great sweet taste and is one of the more popular Gage trees that we sell through Trees Online. The Gage fruits are a dull green colour when maturing and turn a slight yellow when ripe.
Great for eating or other culinary uses such as jam and pie making. We found the colour to be particularly useful when throwing them at wild cats peeing on our strawberries as the colour makes them look like tracer rounds. So if you have doubts about your throwing aim and suffer cats in the garden then the Old Green Gage tree is for you.
You can also pretend to sneeze them out your nose for the kids but that will be more for amusement rather than enticement.
The partially self fertile claim is technically true in that it would produce some fruit, however yields would be improved by having another Gage planted close by from flowering groups C2,C3, or C4. Expect birds and wasps to be attracted to the Old Green Gage, especially when the fruits are ripe. You can prevent damage to your Gage fruits by using a physical barrier such as netting, 24/7 night club doormen, trainee snipers with potato guns etc.
The Old Green Gage is considered a moderate cropper which means that you should not expect to be setting up your fruit and veg stall with just one tree in your garden. The more sun the better for the Old Green Gage with plenty of fertile soil, compost, manure etc. Those with sun beds, well, we cannot recommend it but if you have an extension cord long enough?
Month of Picking: Mid-August
Type of Gage: Eating
This gage is in flowering period is C3.
Self-fertile/Not self-fertile: This gage is partially self-fertile. This means your crop will be improved by having another Gage tree in a similar flowering group near by. If you live on a housing estate it is possible that a pollination partner is close enough. If you do not want to take the chance then buy another Gage in flowering group C2, C3 or C4.
These would include a Cambridge, Coes Golden Drop, Dennistons Superb, Early Transparent, Old Green Gage, Oullins Golden, Reine Claude De Bavay, Stellas Star or Willingham.
