This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Espalier Apple Tree
EOTB
Posts: 3
Hello All
Total Beginning here and first post
We planted an Apple tree in its second-year growth in January and would like to Esplalier. We have three tiers and the top two tiers we have started to train the branches (removing those that we didn't want.
The top tier has the leader and highest branch.
The issue I have is that the bottom tier does not have any buds/growth.
I am sure I was told at the garden centre that notching/nicking would force the growth of new buds below the first tier. Further reading I have found that these techniques are used to limit or encourage the growth of existing new branches to "even" out the look of the tree?
So, my question is, is there something I can do to "force" the growth of 2 branches or have I missed the boat?
Any help welcome
Thanks
Adam
Total Beginning here and first post
We planted an Apple tree in its second-year growth in January and would like to Esplalier. We have three tiers and the top two tiers we have started to train the branches (removing those that we didn't want.
The top tier has the leader and highest branch.
The issue I have is that the bottom tier does not have any buds/growth.
I am sure I was told at the garden centre that notching/nicking would force the growth of new buds below the first tier. Further reading I have found that these techniques are used to limit or encourage the growth of existing new branches to "even" out the look of the tree?
So, my question is, is there something I can do to "force" the growth of 2 branches or have I missed the boat?
Any help welcome
Thanks
Adam
0
Posts
I cut it down to the height of the first training wire then, when growth started in spring, selected three strong shoots to be the vertical leader and the two side branches.
A few weeks ago I cut the leader down to the second wire and reduced the length of the first tier branches by a third.
Obviously it takes a bit longer than using a tree that already has side branches, but it's better in that you can get the branches exactly where you want them, and as they're developing gradually from the bottom up they'll be stronger.
Pansyface (great name!),
Thanks for the information you have provided. I'm not going to said I understand all that the website advised, but I hope some of it sunk in.
I think I may not have worded my query correctly. Basically, where I have my lowest tier wire, there are no buds, branches or growth on the truck all were cut before it was purchased.
The question is whether I can stimulate the growth of buds at this point without resorting to cutting the truck down to this level, which from what I understand is what you should do for a 1-year-old tree so it stimulates 3+ branches to take up and across
Mr Vine Eye (you see I have some of those below :wink
Thanks for the message, I am thinking is what I should have done. I was put off due to the size of the truck (it is about 1inch thick at below the first tier) and it had many branches already.
Have I missed the boat in doing this as it is now 1/3 way through March? Should I do it?
------------------
I have taken a picture today as below. Please note that in my first post I mention that the highest tier had the highest branch and leader. I had to cut the leader back today as it had split.
So, what I am thinking of doing is:
- Move all the training wires up by a half.
- Cut the two lowest branches back to above the first bud to encourage the growth at that new level (which would then be tier 1)
- Cut the main vertical trunk back just below the new tier 2 ( which would be located between tier 2 and 3) which I can then take the three branches for training left and right and the leader up to the third tier which I would have to fit.
If you think this is not the way to go, are you able to advise?
Thanks again,
Adam.