Trellis fruit is a wonderful way to harvest delicious fruit even in a small garden. But this type of cultivation presents us with challenges. In order for the project to succeed, all the right steps must be set right from the start.
How do I successfully espalier fruit?
To grow espaliered fruit, you should follow the following steps: find a suitable place, select weak-growing and suitable fruit varieties, build a trellis and start training (regular cutting) to get the desired espalier shape.
Find a suitable place
Espalier fruit grows two-dimensionally and therefore requires less space than free-standing trees. However, its location cannot be anywhere. Fruit needs light and heat, which is why continuous shade is unsuitable.
Fruits such as apricots, peaches and figs require even more heat than they usually get in our latitudes. Plant these varieties on a south-facing house wall that heats up during the day and gives off heat at night.
Tip
When planting espaliered fruit, there are usually no or sometimes different minimum distances to the neighboring property. Inquire in good time with the responsible authority in your federal state.
Select espalier fruit variety
Everyone is welcome to grow their favorite fruit as a trellis, as long as the location does not contradict this. However, it should be grafted onto a weakly growing base. It is also helpful if the tree received its first training cut at the tree nursery. This makes it easier to continue the given shape.
Winter-hardy climbing fruit such as kiwi and grapes can also be grown as a trellis, as can berry bushes.
Build a trellis
Fruit trees develop strong, supporting branches over time. Espalier trees still need a suitable trellis (€24.00 on Amazon) to which their branches can be attached in the desired position.
- Set up the trellis before planting
- Building it yourself is easy and cheap
- z. B. made of wooden posts and wire
- attach the branches to it
Starting education
The first cutting measures are necessary when planting. Every subsequent spring the young tree receives a training pruning until the branch framework is built up. After that, you have to cut the espaliered fruit every summer in order to maintain its shape.
Choose a suitable espalier shape at the beginning and find out about the pruning rules that apply to it in good time.
