[SandySunshine]

My recently planted apple tree has some leaves that look as if they've been burnt at the edges My recently planted pear tree looks worse than the apple and has a lot of brown leaves.  I'm watering in the evenings and the trees are in an area that does get quite a lot of sunshine - and it's HOOOOOOTTTTT here at the moment - but it also gets a lot of shade from a nearby pine tree.  The two orange trees planted in the same area at the same time are fine.  Perhaps I should stick to indigenous species?  Or maybe I'm over/under watering?  Any ideas please?

[Fleur Pavlidis]

I'm afraid I think your trees are unhappy with their location. Here is Greece we have wonderful varieties of apples and pears but they grow to the north at high elevations of maybe 300-350 m where the rains last longer, the temperature is lower and the soil is deeper. Cherries and plums also have the same needs. Down here in the searing heat we have our own wonderful fruit: all the different citruses, figs, loquats, apricots and nectarines. Have a look in your meighbours's gardens and see what does well.

[John J]

I have to agree with Fleur, it depends very much on the variety of apple that you are trying to grow. We have two apple trees in our garden in Cyprus at an altitude of no more than 30/40 metres asl and they are fine. However they are a variety that has been proven to survive in these conditions. I have no idea what their official designation is, all I know is that locally they are called 'Anna'.

[SandySunshine]

Hi and thanks for your advice. I thought it was odd to find apple and pear trees here, to be honest, but as I bought them at a local co-operative garden centre, I thought they must be ok to grow here.  I will persevere with the apple but I think the pear may be unsaveable    Oh well, I wanted a nectarine tree and another lemon, so perhaps that's the way I'll go.  We did have a healthy nectarine tree growing in the garden when we bought the house, but the builders pulled it out and threw it on the bonfire (complete with fruit!) because it was 'in the way'!!!!  We have 4 figs, 2 grapevines (with grapes!), a plum, olive, prickly pear and a thriving pomegranate too 

[Fleur Pavlidis]

What a pity the builders didn't pull out the prickly pear rather then the nectarine. It has beautiful flowers but you need a man of steel outfit to prune it. I forgot about pomegranate because I don't eat the fruit, but again the flowers are wonderful. I'm afraid I grow ornamental ones much to my family's disgust. Quince is another fruit tree which is unaffected by the heat.