spacing between apple trees

[debjay]

Hi
I have just been given three 1 year old apple trees, (2 eating 1 cooking)
How far apart should they be planted
Thanks
Debs

[Flummery]

Not very helpful, but it depends on what root stock they are on. I've planted a couple of step-over apples at the edge of my veg plot (in the garden) and they were recommended at 5 ft. (They are on M27 - very dwarfing) However, on another root stock they would be a fair bit further apart. Do you know what they are grafted onto?

[momol]

Like what Flummery said, it is really depending on the variety, But roughly is about 3 to 5 meters but bear in mind, giving them more space means they don't have to compete for
space, nutrient and sun.

Cheers,
Momol

[momol]

Btw, the 3 to 5 meters are for the small tree ( with grafted root stock) not suitable for those massive type grown from seeds

Momol

[Snadger]

If you train them as a cordon on a fence you only need put them a couple of foot apart!

I fancy a go at growing some up the boundaries of my allotment as either cordons or espaliers! Espaliers take longer to grow and train but look more ornate I think!

[scared55]

Btw, the 3 to 5 meters are for the small tree ( with grafted root stock) not suitable for those massive type grown from seeds

Momol

We planted about a dozen fruit trees last year (mostly 2-3 years old specimens) - apples, pears, peach family, plum family, fig and cherry. Based on a published spread of 3-5 metres we set them in a triangular pattern at 6m centres with small soft fruit bushes in between.

I can let you know a few years down the line how it worked out.

KK

[grasser]

hi snadger do you need a specil type of apple tree to train as a espalier and how long before you get fruit of them if you grow them like that im new at this gardening lark and need all the help[] i can get thanks

[Two_Sheds]

my espalier is on M27 rootstock (the smallest).
Grasser, get a peek at Dr Hessayons Fruit Expert (library?)

[Janco]

I have 10 apple trees that I am training as espaliers against a fence. I bought them a year ago as 1 year old maiden whips on MM106 so they each only had 1 long shoot (much cheaper). Last winter I cut them down leaving 3 good buds ready for 2 laterals and another main shoot. This summer all but one of them grew well and I now have the first layer of laterals in the right place. As the summer progressed I tied them in gradually moving them to the required position and I trimmed off other laterals that had grown in the wrong places to under 3inches.
I followed the section on espaliers in Geoff Hamilton's Organic Gardening book.
This winter I have to again cut the main shoot down leaving 3 good buds and continue as before. I reckon I may have a few apples set this coming year on the first layer but will have to wait until the year after for a significant crop.
I intend to train 4 layers.
Agreed it is a bit long winded and very hard to cut down the main shoot each year!
However it is quite exciting and they really do grow very fast.