Jan 14 2009
Espalier Fruit Trees
We sat down Sunday afternoon and went through seed catalogs. Plans are being made to plant some additional garden in an area that was formerly shaded by a huge old oak tree. (The diameter of the trunk was over 40″) I really miss that tree; it came down in a storm two summers ago and actually hit the house.
Anyway, we’re toying with the idea of some fruit trees, espalier style, along the fringe of the woods that used to be shaded by the overhanging oak. This method of training fruit trees increases production and makes them easier to prune, pick, and check for insects. Getting the dormant oil spray where it needs to be is much easier with the open growth habit, too. Over the years we’ve had apples, peaches, and pears, but right now we have no fruit trees. So we’re planning replacements this year. We’ll see.
If anyone has experience with espalier, I’d be happy to hear about it. There is a really good article about it here at the Mother Earth website .
