Comments on: The Art of Espalier Fruit Trees

By: Bonnie Manion

Bonnie Manion — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:34:42 +0000

Maybelline, fruit your first year on an apple and peach espalier is terrific! I like the apple and fig trees personally. I’m starting a pomegranate tree, so will see how it goes. Love your name. Thanks for your wonderful comment…VintageGardenGal

By: Maybelline

Maybelline — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:48:27 +0000

I was amazed to have fruit on my espaliers the very 1st year (apple and peach). What is you favorite tree to espalier?

By: Bonnie Manion

Bonnie Manion — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:26:12 +0000

Judy,
You might sacrifice some of your fruit this year. It is a hard to say. Yes, you can try again with your pear espalier trees, by cutting the tip off above two buds. At least your trees are dormant right now, and the right time to be doing this. Good luck. Thanks for your great comment…VintageGardenGal

By: Bonnie Manion

Bonnie Manion — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:22:05 +0000

Heather,
Yes, one of my readers has a website, http://www.espalierservices.com, with a reasonable book about espaliered trees. Also on my home page, right hand side bar, under amazon VGG Recommends, I selected Espalier and Vine for the Home Gardener by Harold Perkins. It was published a while ago, but sometimes these older books are treasures. I don’t have this book yet, but it looked like it could be very helpful for espaliered trees and vine for the home gardener. Thanks for your wonderful comment….VintageGardenGal

By: Judy

Judy — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:29:29 +0000

Thanks for the great article. I started two pear espaliers last year, and they were doing well, with one tier each. However, on one of them, my well-meaning but clumsy neighbor just broke off both first- tier branches when he shoveled snow on top of the tree. I’m guessing I will have to start over with that tree, but I’m afraid that all the branching vs. flowering buds are set for this year. If I cut the tip off above two buds, do you think I can force branching growth? BTW, I am in the mid-Atlantic, zone 6-7, and the pear is a Clapp’s favorite on a dwarfing stock. Thanks!

By: Heather

Heather — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:49:17 +0000

Hi Bonnie,
I was wondering if you could recommend a good reference book on pruning and training various fruit trees and bushes. I am very interested in the espalier method and would like to have a handy reference book to help me get started. Thank you for your informative article.

By: Bonnie Manion

Bonnie Manion — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:01:20 +0000

Charles, it is easier to espalier a young bare root pomegranate tree than a mature one. Try it with your mature tree. I suggest you follow my post on the Art of Espalier Fruit Trees. In the post, you’ll see pomegranate trees lend themselves to the pattern of multiple cordons. You can follow my apple espalier tree directions for a three cordon-tiered pattern. Good luck. Thanks for your great comment…VintageGardenGal

By: Charles Haver

Charles Haver — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:33:50 +0000

I have just purchased a pomegranate tree and am wondering about doing an espalier with it. It is a full size tree. Any feedback would be appreciated.

By: Bonnie Manion

Bonnie Manion — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:16:54 +0000

Jackie, it is a little hard to tell. It sounds like your espaliered apricot and peach trees are mature. Most likely new growth will start to shoot upwards where they were cut. If it something like a view issue, just keep the new shoots trimmed back when they emerge. I would try and keep your remaining espalier pattern intact and curb any upward growth to keep your neighbor happy. I trimmed my Black Jack fig tree down about 2 feet. New growth emerged from where I trimmed it, and the tree was unaffected or harmed by the trimming. Thanks for your comment…VintageGardenGal

By: Jackie Logosz

Jackie Logosz — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 02:41:56 +0000

My neighbor cut 2 and 1/2 feet off the top of my apricot espaliered tree and approximatly 3 feet off the top of my peach espaliered tree—straight across the entire plane. What will happen now?