As you probably know, the best time to plant fruit trees is between late August and February (or December - February for bare-root fruit trees). However we expect to sell out of many varieties before the planting season actually starts, so if you want the widest choice don't wait - pre-order now!
Pre-ordering is easy. Just add trees to your basket in the normal way, then proceed to the checkout and place your order. The only difference is you won't be asked to pay at this stage.
We will then contact you automatically in July to confirm your order.
Pre-ordering does not commit you (or us), and if you change your mind you can easily cancel later.
Spring 2021 - why pre-order trees now?
The short answer is that when trees are in short supply we allocate them to orders on a first-come first-served basis. Pre-ordering therefore means you have the widest choice and are first in line when the new season deliveries start.
The longer answer is that at the end of 2020 the UK horticulture industry entered a period of unprecedented structural change. Traditionally we have always maintained good stock availability of fruit trees from August right through to Easter and the spring planting season. That all changed in autumn 2020 when the combination of the Covid pandemic and Brexit created a perfect storm of higher demand coupled with supply problems. As a result we ran out of stock of most fruit tree varieties by December 2020.
It takes about 2-3 years to produce a container-grown fruit tree, or about 18 months for a maiden bare-root tree - so we expect this period of higher demand and reduced supply will continue for several years before production catches up. We are therefore urging customers not to wait for the planting season before ordering, but to pre-order as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.