Perhaps the other folks on this thread who are more experienced than me will chime in, but I think it could work on a single tree.
The main ingredients would be the same: dwarf rootstock, tree support (sturdy stake of some kind), and the same tree training/care.
The only thing I can think of would be the tendency for even a dwarf tree to be more vigorous in a single tree planting. From what I understand, the tight spacing creates root competition which has its own dwarfing effect aside from the rootstock itself.
So you might run into more vigorous growth that could be hard to control, but if you stay on top of the tree training through branch bending and renewal pruning then I think you’d be fine. If you add early fruiting then that would also serve to slow down the vigor. The tall spindle is all about using early fruiting to not only get apples sooner, but to calm down the tree.
It’s obviously really cool that you can get into fruit production earlier with the tall spindle, but I found it most exciting because I could fit in way more varieties in the same amount of space. Ten trees in the same space as only two maybe three semi dwarf trees.
I know nothing about Fruit stock and I usually buy a nursery tree so probably out of luck anyway.
I have also read a little bit about vertical axis I know it’s different. That’s the only thing I know.
I wonder if it’s possible to convert a Gala apple tree I bought last year and planted at tractor supply it’s about 7 feet tall . Maybe vertical axis if not, tall spindle to increase production quickly
Depending on the current structure of the tree its probably possible. I think you’d probably want it staked though. If you fruit it before the branches are capable of holding the apples then you will risk them breaking off.
I assume you have some scaffolds to work with, so you could use spreaders, string, or whatever you have to bend those down closer to 90 degrees or a little above. Then you could tie the branches above your bottom scaffolds to 90 or below. Bending branches to 90 degrees alone is enough to encourage those branches to put energy into making fruit buds rather than vegetative buds. I did that on some semi dwarf apple trees that I wanted to keep vigor down in the top of the tree. I have small 10-15" branches up top that were just covered in flowers this year. Maybe try that.
I’m sure you already know this, but you could always order a dwarf tree online if you decide to plant another one in the future too.
Maybe try training into a modified central leader like pictured below if your tree is too large? Gala is vigorous, hopefully its on a semi dwarf and not a standard rootstock, but even ann Ralph likes mm.111, a semi standard rootstock, training a young bare root tree is ideal, not a tree from the local store. your gala will grow into a great tree regardless. summer pruning helps a lot with controlling size, winter pruning invigorates.
summer solstice is a common time to prune “grow a little fruit tree” by ann ralph and “back yard fruit production” by schlabach are great books. Ralph’s book is geared more towards open center tiny trees, but there is solid advice throughout the book. and schlabachs book is just fantastic overall. best of luck.
A little update on my tall spindle apple planting:
A reminder, I am in Northern Indiana, Zone 6a.
Trees are growing very well, I’d say. Many of them have put 6-8" of growth on the central leader and have formed many side branches. I was new to notching above buds, but I would say it was a massive success. In some of the pictures below you can see that several trees have put on 8-10 or more small side branches, perfect form for the tall spindle. There is only one tree that did not break many buds coming out of dormancy, but that’s ok for now. I’m very please overall because most all of these trees were whips with either no branches or only one or two feathers.
They have all received a couple of sprays, but since I prioritized disease resistant varieties, they all look pretty spotless. The same cannot be said for my semi-dwarf Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious that I already had in the orchard.
I removed most of the rubber bands at this point that I used to train the existing feathers to below horizontal. I noticed that every one of these trees, regardless of rootstock, has developed great crotch angles with many right at 90 degrees or so.
