Apple (Malus) James Grieve Patio Half Standard MM106

An early-season classic and RHS Award of Garden Merit holder, 'James Grieve' is loved for its reliable, heavy crops and versatile fruit — sharp enough for cooking when picked early, mellowing to a sweet, juicy eating apple if left a little longer. Trained as a half standard on the semi-vigorous MM106 rootstock, it's grown with a clear stem of around 1.2–1.5m before branching begins, giving a traditional, elegant orchard tree that eventually reaches around 4–5m in height and spread.

Pink blossom with useful frost resistance appears in May, followed by yellow-green fruit speckled and striped with orange-red. The flesh is crisp to melting, with a delicate, juicy flavour, and cooks down while keeping its shape. Harvest from September, with a season of use running into October and a little beyond — though the fruit does bruise easily, so it's best handled with care.

'James Grieve' is partially self-fertile and will produce fruit alone, though yields improve significantly with a pollination partner in the same period (Group 3) or an adjacent group (2 or 4). The clear stem makes half standards ideal for underplanting or grazing animals to graze beneath once established, suiting informal orchards, larger lawns, or anywhere a more traditional tree shape is wanted. Staking is recommended for the first few years while the tree establishes, and MM106 means it will take a little longer to come into fruit than a bush form on more dwarfing rootstocks — usually 4–5 years.

Plant in full sun or partial shade 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.