Espalier fruit trees: 3 ways to grow a living fruiting fence

GROW YOUR OWN Foodscape and organic garden in your frontyard.

We show three different ways to grow espalier fruit trees starting with a nectarine trained to an informal fan, then an apple as a three-tier horizontal espalier and finally a Belgian fence of nine apple trees in a twenty foot span trained to a lattice design. The video moves from the least technical informal fan style where you mostly just prune off everything growing away from the structure to the most formal Belgian fence design.

The American Horticultural Society's book "Pruning & Training" is a great resource for all things training and pruning including espalier.

[malsoonsakit]

I shall root as many branches of my fruit trees to transfer to the fences. After saving this video for a year I watched it again to absorb thoroughly each step of your vivid demonstrations

[suzannej]

Thanks for your clear and thorough explanation. Tremendous help as I tackle my espalier that’s gone wild! 😂

[GraftingTactick]

This is fantastic way to grow fruit tree. Save lots of spaces and looks absolutely beautiful, last but not least, you can enjoy fruits without climbing on the ladder to pick them👏👏💕🌴🍃☘🌱🌿🌲

[massiminitrains]

I'm definitely planning on doing this with some nectarines, peaches, and cherry trees as fans along my back fence. Thanks for all the good info and resources you have provided in these videos!

[chaosrah]

I wish I had seen this video when I first started my espaliers- great!

[beebob]

Impressive. I've just subscribed. If I am allowed by the mrs. to grow fruit trees this will be the way Ill grow them. It looks as though this is the better way for growing fruit in a more limited yard area.

[Torithewanderingma]

Thank you for this. The fruit trees at the nursery that are already espaliered are double the price of regular trees.

My question: how did you set up the initial tiered wires? Maybe you already have a video of that - I’ll take a look since this is the first of your vids I’ve come across.

[DinakarJayarajan]

Interesting way to grow fruit trees....I really like the way you explain you have a video on how you set up the trellis - posts, turnbuckles, etc.

[MsVonruffy]

Thank you - very informative. I have subscribed.

[kaittemurry]

I'm doing mine on 16 ft cattle fences sideways.. I planted my apple trees on the end to grow to the other end and my pear tree in the center to grow both ways.. should I move my apple trees to the center of the fence like my pear tree this year?? I know they will go into plant shock.. but I'm thinking they will do better.. yes or no

[suzyq]

Thanks very much. I've been working on this idea. One question. I saw on another video that peaches and nectarines only grow on second-ye wood. Is that true? If so, how do you prune and train peaches and nectarines so that you get fruit rather than just vegetation? I'm stumped with this one. I hope you see this and have time to answer. Thanks for a fascinating video. I bought a new home in UT with a tiny lot. This is the only way I can figure out how to have fruit growing in my postage stamp yard. Thanks for your help.

[andrewdavis]

I've been doing two tiers for my peach trees and now this yr have a couple of Bradford pears that I have had for a full year. It looks amazing when the peach trees flower in the early Spring.

[davefacer]

Thanks for the video! Why do you cut some shoots to the base and some 3 leaves up?

[wolfa]

Very clear and competent description. Thanks!👍

[sarahswenson]

I just planted a 3 tier apple, "Hat Trick". I'd love this tree to have a 4th tier (as you mentioned in the video). Do you know if this is possible with this type of grafted tree? Also, I can't seem to find out how wide this tree will grow if allowed unchecked. Any ideas? Thank you!

[ATGcull]

This is great, im doing this with my peach trees. do you prune throughout growing season?

[flyinUtah]

What part of Utah are you in it kinda looks like Ogden area 🤔

[barbaraferron]

I have a peach tree that has Four trunks growing away from each other a load of fruit might break them. I want to tie adjacent branches so they grow together to weave the four into a basket.

[RichardMacbeth]

How do you determine how much the distence between the wires on the post foe apples and pears?

[magicalcuriosities]

Thank you for showing this, I’m going to plant a whole wall of different trees. Question about informal. If i do informal for an apple tree, will i be able to get more tree and more apples sooner? With the ladder style its one level per year right? If you did a fan you could have it spread throughout the wall faster I’m thinking....is this right? I’m just wanting more fruit faster, haha.