Neglected espallier apple trees

[CarolineW]

I'm due to inherit a neglected allotment plot next to mine come January. It has a row of BADLY neglected espalliered apple trees on it. Can anyone advise me on how to go about bringing them back into shape? I'm not sure if I can do it all at once, or whether I need to do it gradually over a couple of years?

I've never had an apple tree before, and am completely new as to how to look after them. So neglected espalliers seem quite daunting!

[Two_Sheds]

can you put photos up?
You could call my espalier badly pruned (it is) but it gives me fruit every year.

[pigletwillie]

You can hard prune it back to a good shape. It probably will still give some fruit as fruiting spurs will still be present. You may need to summer prune if it goes mad and sends out loads of shoots as a reaction to the pruning

[Alison]

I'm guessing that you'll have to prune them back hard and may well not get much from them for a couple of years as you re-establish the fruiting spurs etc but it'll be well worth it and you'll have saved yourself a fair bit of dosh in the process. I find the Ken Muir site very good for pruning instructions so at least you'll know what you're aiming for.

[FB.]

If you can put up some pictures, it would be helpful.
We could then see what they look like and what you might be able to do with them.
Do you have any idea of the varieties of apple that were being grown?



This would be my basic approach:

During the first winter (2008-09 - now), I suggest that you remove any branches that are damaged, diseased, straggly or rubbing/interfering with others. Do not remove more than 1/4 to 1/3 of the structure.
Next spring and summer (2009), the plants will fight back and will try to re-grow what you cut off.
In early August, "cordon prune" (i.e. cut all new growth back to 1,2 or 3 new buds, depending on how well-placed the growth happens to be and regardless of whether it has grown from pruned or unpruned wood).
That will remove most of that seasons growth, will largely stop any further growth and encourage fruit buds for the following year.
Next winter (2009-2010), start thinning out the vigorous upright growths that will have formed over the years of neglect. Again, take no more than 1/4 to 1/3 of the structure away. The vigorous uprights should be cut right back to their point of origin, to stop them growing back.
The following year (2010), the plant will fight back again. Repeat the cutting back of all new shoots to 1-3 buds, in August.

From that point on, the plant should be back under control and every August, new growth should be pruned back to 1-3 buds, to encourage fruit buds for the following season and discourage growth.

HTH
FB