Espaliering fruit trees

[Marsha Cassada]

I posted a topic about my new tire garden last year. Last fall we added our fruit trees. We used the big mineral tubs for the "raised beds" for the bare root trees from Starks. Bottoms are cut out. I'm so excited that not only did the trees winter over well with our exceptionally cold winter, and survive horrible spring winds, but they are actually getting large enough to begin our espaliering plan!

This is one of the apples. We constructed an enclosed garden. The trees will be trained along the north and south "walls" inside the enclosure. I never expected so much growth the first season and to actually begin to shape the trees! We have 2 apples, a peach, and a cherry to work with. As the tree grows we will add more lathes.

The white thing at the bottom is a pvc shelter for baby squash. While the trees are small this year I decided they could share soil with cucumbers and squash plants.

Everything is on a timed drip system.

We are in the process of constructing the chicken house and run next to the garden. The run will be on two sides of the garden, hopefully to control the grasshopper invasion.

Check out espalier project!

 

[O So]

This is new to me. I even had to look the word espaliering up in the dictionary! LOL So what is the purpose of doing this like you are? Is it for some sort of decoration purpose or is it to make collecting the fruit easier? It looks like it would be neat to do!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

This is new to me. I even had to look the word espaliering up in the dictionary! LOL So what is the purpose of doing this like you are? Is it for some sort of decoration purpose or is it to make collecting the fruit easier? It looks like it would be neat to do!

Espaliered trees take up less room. Since we are growing them in an enclosure, they need to be pruned flat. It is a labor intensive way to grow things, but we have so many varmints around here that it is nearly impossible to have fruit trees without protecting them. Not to mention horses that strip bark. Now the varmints, and birds, can look all they want but they can't touch.

Training them along lathes allows air and light. This is an experiment! We've espaliered ornamental things before but not fruit trees.

 

[O So]

Espaliered trees take up less room. Since we are growing them in an enclosure, they need to be pruned flat. It is a labor intensive way to grow things, but we have so many varmints around here that it is nearly impossible to have fruit trees without protecting them. Not to mention horses that strip bark. Now the varmints, and birds, can look all they want but they can't touch.

Training them along lathes allows air and light. This is an experiment! We've espaliered ornamental things before but not fruit trees.

Pretty cool. I would be interested in following along on this. I hope you will update on how the trees are doing.

Oh, and I know what you mean about horses and debarking trees. All my trees except my big willows have been debarked. I had to put chain link and other wire fencing around all of them, just to keep them from being chopped down! LOL I think the horses are part beaver! LOL

 

[Minxiesmom]

I LOVE espalier. What a fun project and it can be so beautiful. You are inspiring me! I would love to see pictures of the other ornimental espalier you have created.

 

[Shari]

Is looking really good and I also love espalier trees!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

The ornamental I did before was a pyracantha at another house. I've often wondered how it is doing and if the new folks bothered to keep it groomed. It was on a very hot stucco wall in ABQ. The berries showed up so pretty against the stucco!

 

[My2Minis]

Very nice! We also have espaliers. They get a lot of fruit in and it's easy to pick. Keeping up with pruning as they get big is a job, but that's the case with any fruit trees.

 

[weebiscuit]

Marsha, that's really cool! Just think how easy it will be to pick that fruit, too!

years ago I had an espaliered wisteria. I just loved it, and then about five years ago, it died during the winter. I think mice chewed the stems just below the ground.

Will those tubs be big enough to hold the roots on these fruit trees as they grow larger? Of course if you keep the trunks and branches pruned, you'd need less root, and I guess if you just give them tons of water and regular fertilizer you really don't need soil depth.

I like the idea of you building a big enclosure for all these fruit trees! the deer always get my apples before we do!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

The whole garden is an experiment. We live at the base of some low mountains and it's either feast or famine with anything planted--too wet or too dry in the clay soil. The water is either pouring off the mountain like Niagra after a rain, or the soil is hard as cement from dryness. So we are experimenting with the raised bed idea, using the tubs. Since they survived unusually cold weather as bare root, then late freeze and now demonic winds, we are thinking our system might work. Time will tell. The timed drip is critical, of course, but hopefully after they get some roots down into the ground they won't be so dependant.

I find I must pinch/tie every 3 or 4 days.

The peach tree is the poorest performer so far. It's looking fine, just not the vigorous growth of the cherry and apple.

My husband has started construction on the chicken run. He had to fill the post holes with water to soften the soil enough to dig. One hole held water for almost 48 hours. So what fruit tree would have a chance in that?

 

[weebiscuit]

The peach tree is the poorest performer so far. It's looking fine, just not the vigorous growth of the cherry and apple.

My husband has started construction on the chicken run. He had to fill the post holes with water to soften the soil enough to dig. One hole held water for almost 48 hours. So what fruit tree would have a chance in that?

I feel for ya with soil like that. We built out house up on the side of a steep hill, and since hills and mountains are basically rock, every hole I dig for every single plant means taking a wheelbarrow of rock out and bringing in soil from our land at the bottom of the hill to fill the hole. I actually had to use a pick axe when I planted some shrubs on the slope above the house! Just ridiculous!

I hope it works for you! I think that when the trees are all mature, your espalier garden might be really beautiful. Not only productive edibles, but beautiful shapes as well!