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Cordon to espalier aple and pear tress

Nathalie2Nathalie2 Posts: 6
in Fruit & veg

Hi,

I bought 4 cordon trees last year (3 apples and 1 pear), I was wondering if it possible to train a cordon to be an espalier?  I don't have very much experience in growing fruit trees so any advice would be welcomed.

 

Many thanks in advance,

Nathalie

Posts

  • bekkie hughesbekkie hughes Posts: 5,294
    Hi image



    Yes it is possible, i asked the same question last year, im not totally sure....im sure some one will correct me if im wrong, but i think you let two or three sets of horisontal(sorry, cant spell!) branches grow out, these get trained along wire, then cut out the leader that would usually be the tallest bit, its then just a matter of keeping the spurs on the horizontal branches small (about the same as on a cordon). If my OH ever gets our fence built, i will have espalliers too! image



    Ive only seen this with apples, i grow pears in a kind of goblet shape, would be nice if it works with pears too image
  • Nathalie2Nathalie2 Posts: 6

    Thank you for your responses. Bekkie, that is what I did last year but the trees did not bear any fruits so I am worried that I migt have damaged the trees image. They did not grow much either. They are now in a Y shape but very small and straggly.  

  • bekkie hughesbekkie hughes Posts: 5,294
    I wouldnt worry about that Nathalie, it was probably the trees just settling in, some of mine took a couple of years to fruit properly, i would just continue with t.l.c for the next year or two and im sure your trees will be fab, dont spare the horse poo!image
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