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Espalier apple tree

2

Posts

  • mikebez1mikebez1 Posts: 16
    Hi they are now they are now in flower but there are lots of flowers and branch’s growing on the vertical part of the tree. I want them on the horizontally. Will it grow fruit there. Should I cut all the flowers and branches off now. Also I have lots of growth on the horizontal branches. Should I cut them back to three buds or as they form or do it all in July.  
  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923
    Don't cut until August, then any vertical (or non-horizontal growth) needs taking back to two leaves.
    The branches that are in 'the wrong place' on the trunk need taking off at this time too.
  • mikebez1mikebez1 Posts: 16
    I didn’t expect to get so many flowers on the trunk. Will they set or shall I knock them off. 
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    As not all will set you might as well wait and see.
  • mikebez1mikebez1 Posts: 16
    But I thought the idea was to only grow fruit on the horizontal branches
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited May 2019
    The idea is to produce lots of fruit on a tree growing in two dimensions (and looking ornamental ... but that’s a side issue really)... if fruit grows on the trunk why wouldn’t you want it? 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • mikebez1mikebez1 Posts: 16
    Not knowing a lot about it I thought it may hinder the development of the espalier. 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I would personally spend this year putting the energy into the root development and knock of the flowers for a few years to come.
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    My nearly four year old tree flowered and fruited on the lowest two levels last year. This year it has made the height to start the fourth and last level. My question is why this year is it flowering on the third and top of the tree with few flowers on the bottom two . Did I not cut it back hard enough,I may have chickened out of cutting too hard but did cut back all side shoots to about three buds.
  • mikebez1mikebez1 Posts: 16
    Hi. Do I at this time of year pruning the vertical growth of the main stem to promote two more side branches. So I will have now three next year or do I wait till January. 
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