My 89 year old teacher told me not to use a node on top of the branch to make the vertical branch. This node will behave like a watersprout and is difficult to let it fruit.
Better to make the 90° turn with the branch when its still flexible.
For the horizontal espalier its difficult to keep vigor in the first layers. This makes the fruitproduction at the first layer will decrease when the tree gets older.
For a candelabra espalier its more easy to keep vigor in the lower layers because at the end there is a big vertical branch. You have to make ‘Vruchtzetels’ a the vertical branches. The fruitproduction will be better at the candelabra in comparison with the horizontal espalier.
Don’t forget, first start the lower layer and u can start the second layer at the candelabra when the vertical branches of the first layer are higher as the start of the second layer!
Roland, how are your tomatoes??? Now, here is the real reason I sought you out. I need your sage advice on Summer Pruning!
I SO want to give my combo fruit trees and espaliers a haircut.
I would like to take down the verticals lighter green sprouts. I have created some horizontals on the Apple and pear. But even they are 3 feet too long.
I honestly can not see the fruit buds or tell the difference between fruit wood and non fruit wood. All I know is the tall vertical ones look like they need to be cut down to a handful of leaves.
Im very happy with the tomato. It seems Sungreen 4029 will start flowering soon.
The green sprouts u can use to create a “vruchtzetel” (Fruitbranch). At the horizontal layer u can keep every 10 to 15cm a vruchtzetel.
Its best, if possible, to remove the green sprout that are direct vertical on top of the horizontal layer (they are very vigorous and do not produce fruit). And keep the green sprouts that start horizontal at the horizontal layer or in a angle at 45°.
So remove the vertical spout by pruning at 0,5 cm. U keep every 10 to 15cm a green horizontal sprout or a sprout that is between horizontal and 45°.
These horizontal sprouts u prune at 21 of June (the week after the longest day the growth well be stopped for a week).
For a pear the sprout is pinched at 6 to 8 buds. And a apple is pinched at 9 to 10 buds. The last bud have to be in the downwards direction. If not remove the last bud and pinch to a further bud what have downwards direction. (if u don’t do this the last bud will grow to strong and take all the food from the previous buds. If it takes to much food they previous buds can’t make flowerbuds.)
Don’t prune the weak sprouts that grow slowly (they are short). They can have a fruitbud at the end of the sprout.
6 weeks after 21 of June u have to do the second summerpruning. So give a picture at that time and I will explain what to do.
P.s. how is he bottom layer, are there enough new green spouts? And can it compete with the top layer?
Roland, this is great! Exactly the advice I needed! Thank you!!I will put it all in place on 6/21. Pruners are sharpened and ready to go! Thank you so much!
Roland, your posts are always a wealth of information, thank you! I am training several espalier apples, most of them horizontal 4-tier cordon and one is a modified candelabra. I have a quick question, if you could be so kind, or anyone else.
I know it’s important to establish the first rung before proceeding to the next. Some of my first-tier horizontal branches are reaching their final length. Do I just pinch the tip at that point, or should I let them grow out more and prune them to their final length in the next dormant season? I think the latter approach may result in more robust scaffolds, but I’m curious to hear what others do. Thank you!
The first and maybe second horizontal layer need good thickness. Because of this its recommended to bend the tip upwards. Next winter u can prune the tip to the correct length.
Colleen, here some picture from “closed” (gesloten) new growth. Don’t prune these because u can get a fruitbud at the end of these branches.
Mostly these closed branches are between 1 till 25 cm.
YES! I can see the difference. I can’t wait to get out there and tackle this! I really appreciate you taking photos for me. I am a very visual learner. The diagrams are hard for me to use.
Thank you Roland, you are the best!
Colleen
@JinMA , @oscar , @Roland, @HollyGates , @MES111 or whomever. Thanks in advance to all who may wish to opine. I hope it is ok to post this question here. I have an apple, horizontal multi- layer espalier. This is the first growth year. Per the picture, I have right hand and left hand shoots started and the middle shoot which will eventually become the next tier. My question is this: Do I maintain the center shoot at one inch this year so it doesnt compete with the side growth? Or do I need to let it grow up as a center shoot to roughly the height of the next wire tier, yet this year?
I don’t know what the “book” says but I will tell what I did and what worked for me.
Also keep in mind that the “book” aims at maximim production early. As I am growing for personal use, I can afford to retard maximum production to later.
So, I would let the center leader grow until it reaches a little above the next tier and then head it above the desired buds. This will get those next tier buds to start growing this year so there in no reason to wait til next spring to start the growth of the tier. This can save a year/ season establishing the tiers. Here in my Z5b in NY 35 miles south of Albany, even doing this in August will leave enough time for growth and hardening off before winter.
The “book” says to do this in winter while dormant , for me that sacrificed getting an early start next spring and maybe even gave the lower tiers a boost by interfering with the anti growth hormones being sent down from the apical bud I just cut off.
This response is not based on scientifically backed studies but only by what worked for me on 70+ apple and pear espaliers
What rootstock and variety(vigor of variety) are you using? and what is the final tree supposed to look like?
How far are those bottom branches in filling their final space?
The tree will favor for more growth the thicker branches and branches higher up for example. (also branches coming of the main stem at an higher/steeper angle)
This means you want your bottom branches (tier) on the espalier to have the thickest branches. So it is balanced with the thinner but higher up tier above etc. You usually manage this by giving it 2 years of growth (or sometimes 3, also depending on how you count) before growing your 2e tier.
As you can see on the picture. the new growth on the middle vertical branch is already more (stronger) than the side shoots. (horizontal)
I would either prune this low. Or keep pinching the growing tip from this. To thicken up/increase the growth of the bottom tier.
Pruning the middle branch short, will be least amount of work. However pinching the growing tip a few times. Till it reaches past the desired Hight for the next tier. Will give you the option of pruning to a bud at the desired Hight. If you prune above this bud. It will grow a shoot. That you can let grow a bit (few inch) and than pinch. Let this shoot mature (get woody) over the end of summer/dormant season. And than prune it almost all the way back to the bud it came from. This will give you 2 latent buds at exactly the same Hight for your second tier. (those latent buds are next to the bud the shoot grew from)
TLDR. depends on multip[le factors. But likely best to either prune short (less work) or keep pinching growing tip to slow down it’s apical dominance so the bottom tier can thicken up. This second option also gives you the best posibility to get 2 nicely place branches for your 2e tier.
Not knowing the answers to these kinds of questions is one of the reasons I stuck with the Belgian fence!
But one thing I’ve seen recommended that you might consider trying is training the lower tier to bamboo (or something similar) that you keep at a 45 degree angle for now, and then lower to horizontal as that tier approaches the growth you want. The idea is that helps you control the vigor in the lower tier (a little more initially, and then a little less as you lower it toward horizontal).
You’re horizontal layer is still very thin and week. Best is to place the tips in upwards direction to gain some growth.
The middle leader will take all the energy. Try to avoid this by pinching it at 20 to 25cm. When the central leader is 35cm prune it back to 20 to 25cm. All side branches prune at 0,5cm.
Over 2 years when the first horizontal layer is established and have correct thickness prune the central leader back to the first node above the cross section. Probably there will be two branches form this node, keep one and grow it vertical.
I have followed a plan more or less like @MES111 described above. Generally I have let the center shoot grow up and if it reaches the next tier in the summer I pinch it and start training the side shoots as the come out. If it gets up to next tier late-ish in the season, I just leave it. Then the next spring prune it back to under the wire so I can then train the new growth that will come out.
That has mostly worked ok for me, HOWEVER my bottom rungs are now looking weak and small compared to top ones. So while the above approach did allow me to fill out the trellis in the least number of years, I am feeling like it probably would have been better to go slower and allow the bottom rungs to get more robust before allowing growth to go to the next level up. Back when I started I was eager to get the show on the road and it would have been hard to spend an extra year on each rung. But if I were starting over now that is what I would probably do (more like Roland describes).
Roland, am I right in assuming that I leave my weaker horizontal layers alone? I tend to let them keep their vertical sprouts so as to assist them in growing stronger.
