Apple (Malus) Gala M26

A firm favourite for good reason, 'Gala' is prized for its crisp, juicy flesh and mild, honeyed sweetness — the apple most of us grew up eating, now ready to grow in your own garden. Grafted onto the semi-dwarfing M26 rootstock, it makes a compact, manageable tree reaching around 2.5–3m in height and spread, ideal for the average garden where space is limited but you still want a good crop.

Attractive pink and white blossom appears in May, followed by medium-sized fruit with yellow skin flushed and striped red, and cream, richly flavoured flesh. Harvest from November, with good storage keeping the apples in excellent condition right through to March.

'Gala' is not self-fertile, so you'll need a pollination partner flowering in the same period (Group 4), or from an adjacent group (3 or 5), to guarantee a good crop. M26 typically needs staking for the first few years while the root system establishes, after which it's largely self-supporting, and trees usually begin cropping within a year or two, with substantial crops from year 3–4.

Plant in full sun in moist, well-drained soil, and prune each winter to maintain an open, productive shape. As with all apple varieties, the pips contain small amounts of naturally occurring toxins, so they're best removed if the fruit is being used for cooking with children in mind.

Each tree is hand-selected before dispatch. Available from Pengelly Garden Centre.