One of my projects this year is setting up a test section of tall spindle trellis I have a good number of trees already trellised on a 6’ 3 wire system. The idea with my other espalier trees was ease of care and asthetics not maximizing production. I attended a growers conference this year were high density planting was presented as the future of modern orchards. I’m not sure I could justify the initial explence of a large tall spindle planting (12-15k+ per acre) when the saving of freestanding trees more than pays for the land.
I planted about 50 trees on g41 3’ apart in two rows 12’ apart. I will be using oil field pipe for post. I will post some updates this summer when I have it all set up.
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I am looking to espalier trees this spring. What type of espalier do you do?
I guess it would be called multi-tier cordon or horizontal. It actually sets back fruit production a year or two vs. spindle.
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What a beautiful tree. I am trying step over apples this spring and I have them to the point when I have to do my first year prune back of the side branches. I chose the step over simply because they would be fully covered with snow in my cold zone, allowing the buds a better chance of survival on the more marginal trees.
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39th P. I would strongly encourage you to put in tree supports as well on your tall spindle. I am using 1/2’ metal conduit now. Our plains winds beat trees to death on the tall spindle trellis wires. I have had much better growth with those trees that have had support from the beginning. I just tie the tree to the conduit with green tie tape as it nears the next wire. Obviously you need to attach the tree permanently to the trellis wire as well.
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