Espalier training advice please

[Curlykale]

Hi all

I have recently bought and planted 2 apple trees and a Victoria Plum tree - all of which I intend to grow as espaliers to form a 'fence' to my lottie. When I went to the garden centre I asked for advice on which trees would be suitable to grow as espaliers, and these are the one which were recommended.

However, since I have been doing some research on how to prune / train them, I am starting to think that maybe the trees I have bought aren't suitable as they seem to have too many branches on.

Can anyone help please?

I'll try and post some photos.

Oh also - can anyone advise on the type / size of wire which should be used, and how the wires should be fixed to the posts.

Thanks in advance.

[bazzaboy]

hi CK, I'm no expert on espalier training but I've done it a number of times with different fruit trees and it's always worked more or less so really I'm replying in order to give you confidence rather than tell you exactly how to do it.

I'd take the attitude that the trees you've got having more branches than you need or expected to be an advantage because to train them you'll be able to be more selective in which ones to select. Some nurseries will supply pre-trained cordon/fan etc but at a price and for standard espalier it's not that difficult.

Google will reveal lots of advice such as the BBC site How To Espalier on
BBC - Gardening - Gardening Guides - Techniques - Plant an espalier apple tree

There's even a short video on that site with cheerful Alan Titchmarsh showing you how to do it and although he's dealing with "step-overs" the principle is much the same, just that you repeat the process several times to the height you want (pole vault over....). AT will also give you confidence because some of his tips are quite jokey such as "You'll get shoots that say 'I want to grow up here and be a real tree' but you have to be firm and say 'Oh no you don't, you're going here!'"

On the best wire to use I don't know the gauge I've used but I'd advise to get something quite substantial that's going to last (branches in full leaf strapped to it will be exerting quite a force in strong summer winds...); ditto the posts! And do use the tension adjusters as you'll be surprised how much wire stretches over time and will need tightening.

Once you get going I think you'll enjoy doing it.... as you do it it becomes fairly self evident which shoots you want to keep to train and which ones are poking you in the eye so you don't want them!

[zazen999]

Are you trying to espalier plums? Plums do not like being trained and will sulk horrendously. They will provide hardly any fruit for you. We have untrained plums and trained plums at work and the difference in fruit volume is quite staggering.

Apples on the other hand, do well from it.

If you are espaliering those, you need to put the posts in, and fix the thick wire with strong fastenings, that can be kept tense. Then you cut back the branches to the level of the wires and remove all the others. And fix the branches to the wires...the best thing to do is to go onto you tube and watch it being done in practice.

[northepaul]

A friend of mine has an espaliered winter nellis pear tree, it looks absolutely stunning....slightly as an aside to Zaz's comment.
Maybe you could think about fan training the plum?

[Curlykale]

Thanks for all your advice guys.

Bazzaboy, thanks for the link - I do feel a lot more confident now that Alan has explained it to me - Cheers!
Zazen - yes, I was going to espalier the plum tree but it sounds like that isn't a good plan. If I transplant it to grow as a 'normal' tree, how far from the boundary of my plot will it need to be?