How to espalier fruit trees

The clean lines of a beautifully espaliered fruit tree is a thing of beauty in winter. Learn how to do it from nursery owners Chris and Sarah Pike

Growing espalier fruit trees in the home garden is a wonderful way to grow edibles in small spaces and in decorative ways.

Growing espalier fruit trees in the home garden is a wonderful way to grow edibles in small spaces and in decorative ways.

Download this stock image: Espaliered apple tree in a formal English walled kitchen garden, England, UK - 2BJCP6W from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors.

Winter is a good time to start an espaliered fruit tree. However, some trees adapt better to espalier than others. Apples and pears are traditionally used, as their branches are flexible and they fruit repeatedly on the same spurs. A small number of apple and pear cultivars are tip-bearing, but spur-bearing varieties are best for espaliering. Quinces, olives, almonds, crabapples and figs can also be trained. Tamarillos, although not typically used in espaliers, can be cut low and trained…

Espalier trees offer many conve­niences: The fruit can be harvested without ladders, pruning is easier, and trees fit in a confined space.

Permaculture homesteads and gardens offer numerous methods for cultivating edible and ornamental plants. Among these, the espalier technique stands out as a

What is an Espalier? An espalier (pronounced "es-PAL-yer") is a tree that has been trained to grow in a flat plane against a wall,fence, or trellis, though the term has also been used to describe the technique of training a tree to grow this way. The technique was invented by the ancient Romans, and further…

Although you can buy ready-trained fruit trees trained as fan or espalier or fan trained trees it’s often a good idea and more cost-effective to buy bare-rooted plants in the autumn and train them...

Espalier is the answer for gardeners in small spaces who still want to grow lush, healthy trees in their backyards. Gardening expert Madison Moulton explains what espalier is and how to espalier fruit trees and climbing plants in six easy steps.