FOR GARDENERSPlease refer to our About Us page for more details about Welsh Fruit Stocks, but here are a few points especially for gardeners. You can also find answers to any questions you may have in the FAQ section, linked in the left side navigation.
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We have been supplying soft fruit plants to gardeners by mail order since 1990 and we have built a strong reputation for top quality plants and service. There are very few opportunities in the UK to buy from licensed fruit propagators who grow the plants and supply them direct to your door. When you buy plants from Welsh Fruit Stocks you will receive freshly lifted, top quality, bare-root plants in prime condition. Our customers tell us that the plants establish quickly and thrive in the softer environments of their new homes.
The strawberries and raspberries have all been inspected by FERA Plant Health Inspectors and are all certified at Elite and 'A' grades respectively. The bush fruit are all grown from our own stocks, which are again all certified under the Plant Health Propagation Scheme. Our lifting season runs from November until March with the strawberry season extended from October until early May.
We have been farming organically since 2000 and are pleased that all our strawberry plants, bushes, and many of our raspberry canes are now grown organically. We feel that we are in an ideal situation to produce organic plants because of the altitude of the farm, its unique isolation, and the long rotations we use with our cattle and sheep enterprises. Please refer to our Organics page for further details of our organic plants.
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The plants we sell to you are all grown on our farm. This means we are able to employ a local workforce to work throughout the year. There is planting in the spring, hoeing and weeding in the summer, and then lifting, sorting, grading and packing throughout the winter and into the spring. Meanwhile, the home office keeps two people (Sian, and her daughter Jess) busy throughout the winter months, keeping track of orders and speaking to customers, and then updating the website and leaflets and catching up with the paperwork through the summer.
The diagram below shows what happens throughout the year.
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Availability of Plants (conditional of stocks being available)
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We accept orders between mid July and early May (or early July for cold-stored strawberry plants), and plants are despatched as follows:
Strawberry Plants: October until early May (or cold-stored until early July - please enquire)
Raspberry Canes: November until late March (Autumn fruiting raspberry canes from December)
Bushes: November until late March
ORDERS PLACED FROM JULY - SEPTEMBER: Please note that we will not be despatching any plants until late October/ November in the case of strawberries, or November/ December for bushes and canes. By ordering from July onwards you will be accepting these delivery dates. Plants ordered before June will be despatched in the spring season.
The table below can be used as a guide for what is despatched in each month. Please note that this is only a guide, as seasons do vary. Bushes and canes can only be despatched when dormant, which means waiting for an Autumn frost, and despatching plants before they break bud in the spring. We also rely on the weather being reasonable at 1,000 feet in mid Wales! So please bear with us if conditions are severe, and contact us if you are at all concerned.
If you would like further clarification, to check availability, or require your plants for a certain date, please do not hesitate to email or telephone us using the details at top of the page. |
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| MONTH | ORDERS ACCEPTED? | DISPATCHING | | FROM MID JULY | YES | None | | AUGUST | YES | None | | SEPTEMBER | YES | None | | OCTOBER | YES | Strawberry Plants | | NOVEMBER | YES | Strawberry Plants, most Raspberry Canes & Bushes | | UNTIL MID DECEMBER | YES | Strawberry Plants, Raspberry Canes & Bushes | | MID DECEMBER - MID JANUARY | YES | None unless by special request (avoiding Christmas/New year post) | | FROM MID JANUARY | YES | Raspberry Canes & Bushes | | FEBRUARY | YES | Strawberry Plants, Raspberry Canes & Bushes | | MARCH | YES | Strawberry Plants, Raspberry Canes & Bushes | | APRIL | YES | Strawberry Plants | | MAY | YES | Strawberry Plants | | JUNE | YES | Strawberry Plants (cold-stored only) | | UNTIL EARLY JULY | YES | Strawberry Plants (cold-stored only) |
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| We also have a price list for commercial growers, nurseries, and garden centres wishing to order larger quantities of plants. Discounts may be given on these orders. Please enquire. |
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What Happens When I Place My Order?
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 | If you decide to place an order using our website, or by sending an order in the post, or telephoning us with your order, we enter it on to our computer, and print out a paper copy.
Your order is marked with a despatch month, depending on what you ordered (and the time of year), and your delivery requirements. For more information on despatch times, please see above or in our FAQ section.
When your order is due for despatch, we take a list of all the plants we need out to the fields. The plants are lifted from the ground, then hand sorted and graded by our skilled workforce. Bushes and canes are usually hand dug with a spade, but strawberry plants are more often lifted by machine and hand sorted.
The plants and the paper copy of your order are taken in to our packing shed where our packer (or packers in busy times) selects and carefully packs your plants, and addresses and labels the parcel ready for despatch. A despatch note and planting guide are also enclosed. Then your parcel is sent that day by Royal Mail or our carrier who should deliver your parcel within the next 1-2 days.
The remaining paper part of your order comes back into the office so we can mark your order as despatched, and send you an email to say that your plants are on their way.
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Dig a hole in the loose tilth into which plenty of compost has been mixed. Place the roots against one side ensuring they are vertical and not curled up. Pull the soil back against the roots and firm in very well with your feet. It is very important that the crown lies at ground level after firming, with no roots exposed, but leaving the crown still clearly visible. Plant 18 inches (45cm) apart with rows 3 feet (90cm) apart. If dry, water well until established.
Please see further information about strawberry plants in our FAQ section.
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Raspberry canes should not be planted too deeply and need to be firmed in very well. Plant in a well-drained area so that when firmed in, the top of the root is about 2 inches (5cm) below ground level. Water well and continue to do so if very dry in the spring, but do not saturate, they do not like constantly wet feet! Plant 18 inches (45cm) apart with rows 5- 6 feet (12-15cm) apart. Do not use too much wet compost or FYM around the roots. It is better to mulch from above, but try to keep it away from the cane base.
In the first summer (at the end of May or early June) the old canes of all the varieties should be cut down to about 2 inches (5cm) above ground level to encourage new canes to emerge.
Autumn Bliss and Autumn Treasure are primocanes and fruit on their first year canes. The canes do not need wire supports and grow well as a bed system. In the winter the fruited canes are simply cut off at about 1 inch (2.5cm) above ground level to allow new fruiting canes to emerge in the spring. Plant 24 inches (60cm) apart.
Please see further information about growing raspberry canes in our FAQ section.
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GOOSEBERRY, CURRANT AND JOSTABERRY BUSHES
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Plant 4-5 feet (120-150cm) apart into soil that has had some well-rotted compost incorporated. Dig the hole big enough to accept the roots without bunching or curling. Blackcurrants are grown as a stool and should be planted a little deeper than previously planted so that the lowest buds are just below ground level. Cut the shoots down to leave about 2-3 buds above ground level. Gooseberries, red and white currants ideally need a clear leg of 4-6 inches (10-15cm) above ground level, so remove any low braches and trim the remaining branches to 3-4 buds, preferably to an outward facing bud. Jostaberries can also be grown on a short leg, or as a stool (see blackcurrants) if planting a one year old bush. They can grow to over 8 feet (240cm) high so a 6 feet (180cm) spacing is recommended. All the bushes should be firmed well in and watered. If it is very dry, continue to water until established.
Please see further information about growing bush fruits in our FAQ Section.
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STRAWBERRY PLANTS - 15"- 18" (37 - 45cm) between plants on a 36" (90cm) row
RASPBERRY CANES - 18"- 22" (45 - 55cm) between the canes on a 5ft (150cm row)
BLACKCURRANT, GOOSEBERRY, RED/WHITE CURRANT BUSHES - 4 ft - 5 ft (120 -150 cm) apart
JOSTABERRIES - 6 ft apart |
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