Espalier - The Art and Science of Training Your Tree

What is an "espalier" you may be asking yourself. The term espalier has changed over the years. Originally it defined a trellis, or a frame, to which a tree was to be tied. It presently refers to the process of training your tree or plant. The purpose of an espalier is to be able to grow a tree in limited space. The process originated with fruit trees in order to provide fruit in small gardens and courtyards. This art is now primarily used for decoration or privacy.

It is possible to purchase plants that have been espaliered; however, they are typically much more expensive than free standing plants. For the price of purchasing one espaliered plant, you could espalier two to three free standing plants on your own. Besides, performing the espalier yourself is part of the fun, although it does take some work getting it set up as well as annual maintenance.

Most espaliered plants are grown against walls where limited space is available. An example of a perfect spot would be on the side of a garage that has a walkway along the side. You may wish to hide the side of the garage, while preserving the space within the walkway. An espaliered plant will allow you to do this, as it will grow verticle, and will spread laterally along the structure, without encroaching on the path. Another perfect place for an espaliered tree is between neighbor's homes. This will provide privacy while taking up very little space as the tree begins to grow.

It is important to remember to leave between 6" and 10" of space between any walls and the plant. This will allow the roots to grow, as well as preventing bugs from having easier access to any buildings, and will also prevent trapped moisture against any structures.

A wire frame is often used in place of a trellis when planting against a wall. You can sink or screw eyebolts into the side of a building, and tie a wire frame between the eyebolts. This will need to be done in height intervals of approximately one foot. The branches will then be tied to the wires versus a wooden trellis.

It is best to start with a small tree whose branches are still flexible. This will allow them to bend, in order to be tied to the trellis or frame. "Ugly" trees are perfect to espalier. You do not need a full, thick plant, as you will have to prune several branches that sprout out in various directions.

Position and plant the tree so that the flattest side will be flush against the trellis. Doing this should limit the amount of pruning necessary. Tie the leader branch (the primary verticle branch) to the trellis or wire frame with a twist tie or zip tie.

With the leader branch tied, prune away any branches that protrude forward or backward. This will leave you with branches sprouting laterally to the sides, running along the trellis or wire frame. Once the tree has been pruned, begin tying the laterals to the frame at approximately 45 degree angles from the ground. Do not put too much pressure on the branches to bend. Once all of the lateral branches are tied, you have started your very own espalier, for a fraction of the cost of purchasing one at a retail store.

An espaliered tree will require annual maintenance as it continues to grow. The second year you should be able to lower the laterals that were originally tied at 45 degree angles to a horizontal position, i.e. parallel to the ground, and retie them in the lower position. New growth should be tied in at 45 degree angles. Any branches that cannot be trained due to sprouting out forward or backward will have to be pruned.

You will repeat the process each year of moving the 45 degree laterals down to a horizontal position, and tying new growth in at 45 degrees, or pruning the new growth. As the tree grows you will be able to fill in any empty spaces in the frame.

For more information on how to Espalier Trees and Plants visit www.laffodils.com

Hot Topics In Gardening

    Planning An Herb Garden With Culinary Herbs, Medicinal Herbs and Aromatic Herbs

    Planning an herb garden can be fun and rewarding. Herbs have been in use for centuries for culinary, medicinal and aromatic reasons. For generations tribal leaders and healers passed down the herbal s...

    Refresh Your Old Lawn

    Are you struggling with a poor lawn? Well, you might just as well do something drastic with it, such as spade it up and totally rebuild it. If you do, however, be careful not to build in the same mist...

    How to Choose the Perfect Outdoor Bar Stools for Your Backyard or Patio

    Outdoor bar stools are very cool choices if you want to spice up your outside setting. They're great for backyard household settings such as patios, gardens, beside the pool, in the yard or in a conse...

    Proven Aloe Vera Benefits And Uses

    While there are many claims as to Aloe Vera benefits and its uses, I would like to present some of the facts and information. I have been fortunate to be able to enjoy Aloe and its benefits.

    Aloe is...

    All About Liquid Organic Fertilizers

    Using organic fertilizers is a widely accepted practice in the agricultural industry. Farmers use them to cultivate their field and row crops, winemakers utilize them for growing grapes, and horticult...

    An Introduction to the Bonsai tree

    There are many myths which are associated with bonsai. This not only confuses budding enthusiasts, but also gives the pastime a bad name. A bonsai is not a genetically dwarfed plant and is not kept sm...

    Guide To Growing Annuals

    Annuals are beautiful flowers that grace almost every garden. Depending on your zone, they will last only the season and die off in winter. Sometimes called bedding plants they are relatively inexpens...

    Making Your First Garden

    The first thing in garden making is the selection of a spot. Without a choice, it means simply doing the best one can with conditions. With space limited it resolves itself into no garden, or a box ga...

    Rose Diseases - All You Need To Know

    Roses are beautiful plants that many people enjoy growing in their gardens. But, there are some very common types of diseases that face roses no matter what type they are and no matter where they are ...

    Looking after your Wooden Garden Furniture

    John Duff of Garden Furniture Scotland has some key tips for how to best care for your wooden garden furniture, regardless of whether it is made from keruing, red or yellow balau, or jarra wood.

    The...

    Gardening Safety Tips

    Whether you have a green thumb or simply want to start learning the art of gardening, it's a good idea to be prepared for all of those little surprises that may pop up along the way. Perhaps you want ...

    Espalier - The Art and Science of Training Your Tree

    What is an "espalier" you may be asking yourself. The term espalier has changed over the years. Originally it defined a trellis, or a frame, to which a tree was to be tied. It presently refers to the ...

Most Recent Gardening Supplements

Newly Popular Home Living Articles

    Losing Post-Pregnancy Weight

    Having a baby means indescribable joy, but for some women, it's also a battle to achieve that super slim, pre-pregnancy figure. It doesn't have to be hard to get into your old jeans!

    The powde...

    Sleeping Tips For Pregnant Women

    The anticipation of giving birth to a child may literally cause expectant mothers sleepless nights.

    Most pregnant women may feel more exhausted than usual and would eventually sleep more. Duri...

    Glutathione for a Healthier Pregnancy

    All parents-to-be nurture the dream of a healthy pregnancy and baby.

    But the modern environment and diet is deficient in many factors essential for the health of mother and fetus. One of those...

    How to Enhance and Enrich Your Marriage

    Any marriage counselor will tell you that one of the most common problems observed when couples come for help is poor communication skills. People get into trouble in their marriages because they have...

    Work at Home Online with your Silent Money Making Machine

    Some people claim that it is almost impossible these days to make lots of money when you work at home. They say that there are all sorts of scams online, but no decent job to actually make a bit of ex...

    Explanations For Unexplained Infertility

    It is strange how with all the advanced technologies associated with the diagnosis of infertility, some cases are still labeled with unknown causes. This condition is medically known as unexplained in...

    Work At Home Online Instead Of At Work

    The information super highway is quickly becoming the revenue super highway. Online, work-at-home opportunities are as common as pigeons in New York. Thousands of people are quitting their jobs, worki...

    Money Saving Tips. Maximize Savings on Everyday Items!

    Frugal living is more than a lifestyle. It's a passion. Call Me Crazy! I love It!

    Why, who wouldn't love getting paid to buy products that they use everyday?

    Here's how I do it.

    <...

    Alarm Controls are the Brain of your Security System, Use Yours When Choosing One

    The alarm control is the brain of your security system. It is typically placed in an area that is out of the way like a basement, attic, closet or office. The motherboard and additional components suc...

    Car Scratch and Dent Repair

    Auto body professionals can take a large chunk of your budget to repair even the most minor car dents and scratches. Hailstorms, other motorists doors, and minor accidents can cause frustration, espe...

Interesting Today:

Most Recent Home Living Blogs:

Releated to Home Living:

Gardening Links: