Comments on: Guest Blog – Hugh Glass on Espalier

By: stephen gale

stephen gale — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:28:22 +0000

As an architect, I’m interested in the historical use of espaliered trees; they seem to have been used extensively in Italian renaissance …such as the Villa Borghese.. and then combined with potted plants and raised beds to form courtyard gardens which were exterior rooms. To date I’ve found very little English language materials on which plants were used.. Stephen Gale

By: Mariela Guastavino

Mariela Guastavino — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:08:15 +0000

Great Information! Thank you for the link to U of FLorida.
Mariela

By: Nancy

Nancy — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:46:36 +0000

You mentioned using cotoneaster as a good plant for espalier(excuse my spelling). Where should I look for info on that? Any particular websites or books? Thank you….

By: Bill Rein

Bill Rein — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:27:43 +0000

Concerning espaliered pear or apple, questions I have for Elizabeth and Basil: How old is this espaliered fruit tree? Is it in “full sun” — that is, is it growing in a place where it receives full sun for more than six hours per day? It can take four (or more) years for fruit trees to begin bearing fruit. Also, in what part of the world do your espaliered trees grow? One of our horticulturists with orchard experience mentioned that flowering and subsequent fruiting can be limited by early spring bud freeze. This can be a problem in regions where spring freezes are typical or flower buds get tricked by late winter and early spring warm spells. Successful fruiting depends on selecting the appropriate — that is, late-blooming — varieties.

I typed “pruning fruit tree espalier” in my internet search box and found a bunch of YouTube clips of espaliers and homeowners pruning them. So many are from England, but their techniques generally apply to the temperate US.

As for subsequent pruning (established plants), yearly removal of errant stems (branches growing out away from the form/branching structure you desire) should be practiced every late winter (late February – early March) in most cold winter regions. An espalier will yield fewer fruit and often takes a few more years to begin bearing fruit because all the pruning that is required for training the tree to a strict limited form keeps the tree in vigorous juvenile form. You have to prune back older branches every late winter to short stubs that hold fruiting SPURS.

By: Basil Cox

Basil Cox — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:49:27 +0000

I inherited an espaliered pear 13 years ago when we moved to this house. It was trained on wires and not against a structure. The truck is about 5″ in diameter; height is about 6 ft; 4 lateral branches on each side.

It has never budded or bloomed, let alone produced fruit. Prune it yearly, correctly I believe but ? Suggestions?

By: Wilson

Wilson — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:14:53 +0000

PLEASE,

Can anyone tell me how to properly prune a dwarf fig tree to keep it under five to six feet maximum – diagrams or pixs would be most helpful Thank you.

Wilson

By: Elizabeth Zelov

Elizabeth Zelov — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:29:26 +0000

I have been growing an espalier apple or pear tree(we are not certain what it is)and have yet to have it flower or fruit. Where can I go for a lesson on this or someone who can show me how to manage it correctly???

Thank you.