In this video I am going to show you step by step how to grow fruit trees in a small space. I will make espalier very easy for you. I grew two fruit trees in a small space and now I will show you how to do it and I start even more small apple trees.
MENTIONED / RELATED VIDEOS
How to Plant Fruit Trees: https://youtu.be/pAuHZ23ip-U
Espalier Lemon Tree: https://youtu.be/7GRs3OOggSo
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36 Comments
Can I do this with blueberry and blackcurrant shrubs
Thank you, Brian!!! ❤ You made it look easy. One thing I love about espaliered trees is they do not require a ladder or falling off one because the ground gave away. 😄 So much easier to maintain and prune too. Apple roots tend to have a tap root then feeder roots that spread out so there won't be much destruction to a foundation. Its your maples and nut trees that are so destructive to foundations.
Amazing! I have to try this.
A good option – which costs a little more money – and less headaches in the future –
(1) Install larger post piles (with a concrete footing into the ground, with a vertical bolt outsticking the concrete foot. Have a zinc-coated metal bracket bolted atop the concrete foot. Drill the wood post and bolt to the bracket. All this keeps the wooden post high and dry and away from ground wood rot conoditions.
(2) Install post piles at each end of the house, outward distance from the house wall of the actual OUTSIDE growing area of the upright tree trunk growth, … and maybe a left and right post to the fig tree in the center … for 4 equidistant post piles.
(3) This has the trees growing upright and not cantered into the house – creating an issue for later growth and hardship for the tree (with a pinched cambium layer – and potential water, sugar, and nutrient flow hindrance and tree death.
(4) THEN, one can put in any number of horizontal cabling or such trellised woodwork (of various designs) onto the post piles. This allows various methods on which to tie up ALL of the various layers of the tree's branches. Your already pruned and espaliered tree only needs a few horizontal tie off points. Making a purist espalier each 1 foot is one thing for this already created tree, but you have these other non-pruned and espaliered trees. Having such layers of woodwork or cabling for these other trees can be custom made for each tree with these 4 post piles. Maybe more layers for the left apple tree and then a different arrangement for the fig branches. One is able to garner every branch that the tree is growing out – instead of pruning and wasting an opportunity of which (and where) the tree wants to grow that branch. It is to the already non-espaliered apple and fig tree that such use of each and every branch that the tree is producing – one can eventually tie them into the woodwork or cabling – and allow the tree to grow into those many layerings – and have a happy tree – instead of a Marine Corps haircut high-and-tight espaliered tree.
(5) Using espaliering, but having the entire young tree grow out all its branches – also allows the household to grow the tree into a shrubbery instead of a total espaliered and grape viney arrangement. Thus a shrubbery grown upward fruit tree, and especially what will become the massive foliage of fig leaves … and its eventual allowed upward growth along the upper southern house wall, will create a fig shrubbery wall – instead of an espaliered and scanty layering of branches. It will appear more like an English house wall of ivy covering the entire surface. And for this apple tree and fig tree – the more the tree is allowed to have branches and foliage – the greater production of fruits that will happen – versus the espaliered tree with small production – but the fruit will be bigger. The actual volume of fruit production will be less than the other apple and fig tree. So espaliering in its own way is just cosmetic appearance, with less number of fruiting production with somewhat larger fruitings.
Pretty cool! How do you handle this when it comes time to paint the house?
Great video thanks!!
I loved learning this method. I think my dog would love to have the two branches ground level. We have 4 apple trees, tree style. Our dog jumps vertically to grab branches to shake off apples for his snacking. I’ve watched deer stand on their hind legs to grab top apples. With 4 trees we seem to get enough. I love apples. I think this method looks amazingly artistic. Thank you for sharing.
I would think that the constant watering would do more to a foundation than roots would
Thank you for making this so approachable! I've always loved this look but was intimidated to try. You're an excellent teacher and after watching this, I'm going to just do it! ❤
Interesting, and again some great timing. We are now throwing around the thought of planting three fruit trees espalier style. Problem is we do not have an available South wall to do it with. So it will be this fall (most likely) before we make that decision. As always, Thank You for another informative video!
This is really cool!❤
Love this video! Thanks Brian!
Thank you for sharing this!
Great video. A couple of thoughts:
1. I suggest caulking around the eye bolts into the house to keep water out of the house wall!
2. There is another consideration with planting that close to the foundation. The irrigation can cause the soil there to expand each watering, and then contract, especially with "expansive soils" (like I have in north Orange County CA). This can cause the foundation to shift and cause cracks in the drywall, especially around doors. It can also cause doorways to shift with the doors not working well. (Don't ask how I found out about this!) With your 2 foot deep foundation, it's probably not an issue, but more typical "tract home" foundation slabs likely are more susceptible.
Can you grow these in a pot ?
Lovely and how do you keep the squirrels away?
I didn’t catch if they are standard or dwarf or if it matters. If learned so much from you Brian, thank you very much
Great video but I was waiting for you to show us how to do a free standing tree
More information on pruning the older espalier tree please
Thank you so much. This has got my wheels turning about using my fence line😊
this is great news (roots and foundation). thanks! 🤍🕊
So, do you keep the fruiting/vertical branches always trimmed to about 5”?
Will there be a separate video for when you espalier as a free standing fence?
Can’t find a definitive answer, so since this is tree related, fertilize, or not when first planting citrus into a pot?
Thank you so much for this video! I have a 9 foot tall redwood fence that runs the width of my (track home) property. I’m hoping to put espaliers to cover all of it! Now I think I can do it!
Very interesting. I will be curious to see these grow and see what fruit you get from them. I haven’t seen your other videos about this subject, wasn’t following you then, but I could go back and find them.
This was an awesome video. I rent so I can't do this but it was still very interesting to know how it's done. I always wondered if it hurt the tree somehow to do this, but I see now that it's just like a haircut for the tree. Shaping it how you like.
I would like to plant some fig trees at my home but the soil is rocky churt red clay mixture.. Can I dig out a hole say the size of a 5 gallon bucket and put some good soil in and plant a tree? Is this a big enough area? Thanks
A few years ago, I put in a living "fence" of espaliered apples to serve as a boundary for my raised bed veggie garden. We put in fence posts (1 at each end of the row of trees and one between each tree), strung 3 wires between the posts, and trained the apples as you did against your house. Last summer, they finally made it to the top and grew along the top wire! I love the old world charm of espalier.
Looking forward to trying this method of growing fruit trees. Thanks for sharing this with all of us.
Awesome! I’m so going to try this. THANK YOU 🙏
So helpful, thank you. I've learned more from this video than others I've watched about espaliers. Any pointers for trees that are slightly more mature? I feel like I should have cut mine shorter in height when they were younger and now I'm worried about cutting them back too much.
Thank you very informative l’ve just espaliered a Myer lemon tree,it was fruiting and still is. Not a lot of room,as l’ve just had a extension put on the house 12 m x 12 m , so l only have fences to use as garden. It’s coming into winter here,so l have plenty of time to plan for spring. I live in southern Australia.
Ours are against a fence line not house. Looks lovely. Doesn’t produce a ton.
I have two cherry trees I am espaliering on the fence. I am doing a fan shape.
Maybe I missed it, but do I have to buy a special size tree? Like dwarf, semi-dwarf? I am loving this idea and am imaging all of the places I could do it.
Espalier! I do a free form "espalier" since I lack the patience.😂
Thank you, this is very helpful and inspiring me to give it a try.