Truth be told, I think pruning espalier (two dimentional) is much simpler than pruning free standing trees.
For those you have to consider open center, central leader, modified central leader, tall spinfle, row width, tree spacing, branch to trunk ratio, etc. Each with a different pruning methodology.
Setting up the espalier tree is quite simple . When the trees are young they are as flexible as spaghetti and they grow like weeds. This allows one to twist, shape, rearrange making erasing mistakes easy ( which are almost hard to make in the first place). A living sculpture which feeds you. And it is easy. Just look at TomIL 's thread in May. “Espalier Apple Re-worked”
Amazing what can be accomplished with a pair of hand pruners and with eliminating the fear of snipping. compare the September photos to the May photos
Benefits are:
- Once the shape is set up all you do is trim. You can trim early, late, often, seldom, heavily or lightly.
- Being open every single fruitlet is in full sun.
- Much reduced dampness related fungal diseases as air flow is maximal.
- Real easy to spot any diseases early.
- Last summer I totally handled aphid problems by snipping off the new growth on which they feast and which you woul do anyway and it coincides with the time that aphids are around.
- Production is fantastic.
- Spraying is a breeze and quick. Just like painting a fence with a spray gun.
Last summer I managed 2400 linear feet of espaliers (six 100 foot trellis runs with 4 wires/levels each) made up of 93 trees with 125 varieties of apricots, apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, cheries, plums, pluots, apriums, & mirabelles.
I did this by myself only getting upstate to the orchard on weekends. And with a newly installed stent in my heart which slowed me down because the blood thinning meds and beta blockers got me winded real easily.
The espaliers made it possible. I only fell behind in weeding.
Espaliers sound exotic but they are dumb easy to set up and easier to maintain.
Mike