Fan-training apricot

[TrixC]

I ordered a maiden apricot tree with the intention to fan-train it. The tree that arrived is about 5' high with a lot of lateral branches, not really what I was expecting at all. The advice I've found on fan training says:

Where a feathered maiden is used (a tree with side shoots), cut back the central stem in April following planting, to the uppermost of five strong laterals growing parallel with the fence on alternate sides of the main stem. The topmost should be about 60cm (2ft) above the ground.

I'm not sure how to follow this advice as most of the laterals on my tree are not growing parallel with the fence, and I'm not sure any of them are within 2' of the ground.

Help!

(I should mention that since it's not April yet I went ahead and planted it as is).

[mothhawk]

I'm sure someone with hands on knowledge will be along soon Trix, but until then, have a look here - the photos are fairly clear and may help to give you an idea of how to proceed. seems you have to be pretty drastic.

Training fruit trees as fans and espaliers

[TrixC]

Thanks mothhawk, that link makes a lot more sense because it talks about buds rather than lateral branches. I see that it also says the pruning should be done at the time of planting - an exception to the usual winter pruning rule for stone fruit. I'm now worrying that I'm too late!

[WendyC]

I can't offer any advice but a photo might help someone else more qualified!

[TrixC]

Will try to get to the lottie in the weekend and take a photo.

[BUFFS]

I would not be too fixated on the 2ft height of the lower branches, I fixed a load of horizontal wires to a wall,6ins above each other, planted the tree, tied in the lowest branches, then separated the rest evenly in a fan shape, took off 6ins off each branch and it seems to be very happy, plenty of side shoots off each branch and good fruit production, I cant be bothered with anything too fussy, nor it seems can the tree, it seems happy as larry...and I haven't had to wait years for new branches to grow....

[Martin H]

I would select the most likely branches of the existing framework and cut off the others.

I had a similar problem a few years ago when an apple I ordered, intending to make an espalier, arrived as a feathered maiden:



I cut off everything except four branches (I wanted a two tier espalier) and it turned out fine. Here it was three years later:



I do remember how hard it was to force myself to cut off all those lovely healthy branches, though!

[TrixC]

I went ahead and pruned the tree fairly dramatically - pic attached. There are two existing side shoots that are in approximately the right position for training, but one is much stronger than the other. I'm not sure if I should remove these as well? I suspect it's better to start with two balanced shoots.

Looking at material available online it appears there are two different methods of fan-training a tree. Either you create only two side 'arms' with mutiple 'fingers' branching off those and creating the fan, or you create multiple side arms fanning out from the main stem. Any thoughts on which of these is better/easier for apricots?

[lookbettertomorow]

Hi Trix, looks a soup song out of balance there, cut twice measured once? The branch one the left has now become the cenral leader, the dominant one. If one branch is too dominant you can festoon it though don't think it will work here.

2 options, take out completely the short central leader and train a yet to be seen branch off from the left hand side branch so it grows at an angle over to the right so it fills the gap. Or wait for a couple of new branches off the top of the short central leader.

Personally I think fans look better without a central leader. Much prefer the finger option. Yours words! ��

[TrixC]

Thanks lookbettertomorrow, I think you're saying I should remove the existing branch on the left entirely and wait for new shoots to sprout from the central leader?

[lookbettertomorow]

Oh don't do that Trix, old adage comes into play here me thinks, if you don't know what to do, do nothing!
Wait see what pops out from the short central leader then select 2 arms left and right and favour your finger method.

I have a few espaliers and fans and know that if the lowest arms are thin and spindly whilst the above ones thick and strong, the weak get left behind. The early formative years are all important. Google knicking and knotching fruit trees, fascinating old technique. I've tried it but end up forgetting where I did it.
Soon be grafting time,love it.

[lookbettertomorow]

After an unsettled night due to my OCD and worring about your tree and how it looks, think I would remove both remaining branches and start again while it's still a juvenile.
It wouldn't have fruited this year so not losing out

[TrixC]

Just as well, because that's exactly what I did yesterday! The poor tree looks quite sad now, but hopefully it will bounce back.

[lookbettertomorow]

This is my Apricot. Not supposed to train stone fruit as espaliers but I thought why not
Bought it last year, got 5 flower buds on it!
Read somewhere Apricot trees don't live long, 8 years or so