It's still not too late to plant pot-grown fruit trees - in fact, they can be planted in spring, summer and autumn because the root system has not been disturbed.

Apples, pears, plums, cherries, red and white currants and gooseberries can be trained in a variety of ways - espaliers (tiers of horizontal branches), cordons (single stemmed trees grown at an angle to save space) and fans.

Choose a sunny, sheltered spot with deep, rich, fertile, well-drained soil. No fruit will do well in waterlogged soil or thin, sandy soil.

Plant the tree to the same depth it was in the container, establishing the depth by placing the cane across the hole and lining it up with the top of the dark section on the trunk.

Mulch and feed fruit trees every spring and keep them well watered when the fruits are swelling.

If you buy trees in flower you may have fruit from them in the first year after planting, but don't take too much fruit in the first year. Let them become established and they will be more rewarding in future years.