How to Plant an Espalier Tree

Espaliered trees are excellent choices for small gardens -- utilitarian, beautiful and productive.

The espalier technique is a pruning and training technique, suitable for trees, several vines and other plant species, that results in a plant trained to grow in two dimensions along a fence, trellis or wall. Espaliered trees create a stunning landscape element and can even be part of a productive kitchen garden. The espalier technique is used among fruit growers in marginal climates and for landscaping purposes -- espaliered plants are well-suited to camouflage problem areas like unsightly walls, garden boundaries, trash cans and utilities.

Things You'll Need

• Fruit or ornamental tree
• Trellis
• Shovel
• String or wire
• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Choose your location and identify your specific needs -- whether the area where you want to espalier a tree is in sun or shade, tall or wide. You can choose an ornamental or fruit-bearing tree species, as long as you pick a variety that will grow well in your area. Examine your requirements carefully before choosing your espalier stock to make sure you pick a tree species that can meet your needs.

2. Decide on an espalier style, which is the shape to which you will train your tree. The shape will depend on the formality of your garden, width and height requirements, and the amount of time you can commit to training. If you need a completed espalier design within a single growing season, informal natural shapes or more classic palmette espalier styles, such as the fan, work best. If you have more time and a long fence to cover, espalier a few trees as horizontal cordons or a "Belgian fence," which uses multiple interwoven trees to create an evenly-spaced lattice. Candelabra or U-shaped designs work well in tall and narrow spaces such as an alcove or wall segment.

3. Pick your species. Take into consideration your local soil, lighting and temperatures before choosing a tree. Fruit trees need a number of cold days per year -- some more, some less -- to promote fruit growth, so be sure the variety you choose has a number of cold days appropriate to your location. Talk to local nurseries and contact a university extension office to find out what trees grow best in your area. An espalier tree is a long-term commitment, so make sure you've chosen a variety that will work well for your climate.

4. Install your trellis or examine the wall or fence you will use for solidity. Make sure the structure is solid and in good repair. If properly trained, espaliers can be trained directly against a house wall without harming the functionality of the structure, but you may want to install a trellis against the wall to avoid sinking bolts or staples into the wall of your house.

5. Buy your tree. Choose dwarf root stock for small spaces and semi-dwarf root stock for more open areas. Dwarf root stock reduces the size of the branches and the overall tree to manageable dimensions without affecting the size of the fruit or the tree's harvest yield. Choose a one-year whip -- a "baby" tree, usually with just a young trunk and no extending limbs -- for the most flexibility and the least cost, or buy a young tree already professionally trained on a trellis by a nursery.

6. Dig a hole deeper than the diameter of the root ball and plant your tree so the trunk is at least 10 inches from your wall, fence or trellis to give the roots room for proper growth. Allow the tree to grow and establish itself for several months before beginning to train it.

7. Attach your tree using string or wire if you are going to espalier along a fence or trellis. Check regularly to make sure older ties aren't growing into the wood. If using a masonry wall, espalier with U-bolts or attach eye-bolts with expandable lead shields or plastic plugs in mortar joints. Pin down the branch with a u-bolt, or use wire and multiple u-bolts or eye-bolts. On wooden walls, use staples or screws to hold your wire. Remove these training tools carefully once the tree is established in the desired shape -- usually after a year.

8. Prune your trees several times during the year into the desired shape. Remember that some fruit trees, such as cherries, only produce fruit on new growth each year, so consult with a nursery or extension service to make sure that your trimming methods won't affect your fruit yield.

Tips & Warnings

• Use an organic insecticidal soap to manage pests on your fruit trees without worry of chemicals touching your food.

References

• University of Florida IFAS Extension; Espaliers; Sydney Park Brown, et al.; May 1985
• "Mother Earth News"; Espalier Trees; Patricia Fletcher; October/November 1993
• USDA: Find Your Local Extension Service
• French Gardening: The Fine Art of Espalier -- Part I
• NC State University Cooperative Extension: Espalier
• NC State University Cooperative Extension Service; Espalier; Kim Powell; April 1997