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New Apple tree espalier

mtspikenaylorE9SPjgNLmtspikenaylorE9SPjgNL Posts: 2
in Fruit & veg
I gave two new Apple trees
1st of growth this year

do I prune now to kick off the bottom side shoots
 or do I leave to end of summer and then prune back down ready for next year for espalier starting

or do I pick the two side shoots now and start tieing up pruning the rest




Posts

  • brian stoatbrian stoat Posts: 111
    That's a lovely little tree! If it were me, I'd be inclined to rub out those lower couple of buds, get some wires set up and tie the branches in that you want to train and tie them in right now while they're nicely flexible.
    The greengage that we've fan-trained, we've fitted canes on vine eyes on the wall, so that we can tie branches in to a rigid anchor.
    Rubbish pictures, sorry. Better gardener than photographer, I hope:-)
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Just a question,  what is the orange thing at the base? Is it removable? As within five years the trunk will be wider than that.
    As for training, pick two limbs and get them on wires now, that will make your first layer. Remove the other side shoots. From the two leaders I can see pick the straightest/strongest and cut it about 30cm above your limbs above a leaf joint,  this will become your next level, and produce the next leader for next year. Remove the unwanted leader. Hope this helps @mtspikenaylorE9SPjgNL
  • mtspikenaylorE9SPjgNLmtspikenaylorE9SPjgNL Posts: 2
    Many thanks

    great advice

    the orange thing is plant pot just protecting young tree from stones for now
    was always going to remove once established
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