Prep School Daily: Espalier Fruit Trees for the Prepper’s Garden

Those who know what’s coming down the pike with regard to food production in this increasingly chaotic world direct much of their energy storing food and making their land as productive as possible. I know I do. I expand the vegetable growing areas each season, no small feat in an area where much of my so-called soil is more rock than dirt. The primary focus has been vegetables because they will make food in the summer growing season.

Tree fruits often get relegated to the sidelines because they usually take several years to begin bearing, and who thinks we have several years before things fall apart?

And yet, what if you didn’t have to wait that long? What if you could begin harvesting in as little as 2-3 years? There are a few techniques for close-planting and training fruit trees that foster precocity (heavy, early bearing) in fruit trees: two, three or four trees in one hole, espalier, and hedgerow.[1] Espalier is what I did with two dozen trees over the summer and is today’s topic.

Espalier (ess-PAL-yay) fruit trees let you do that. This horticultural technique trains fruit trees through tying and pruning to create two-dimensional plants, and in the process uses far less space, making it ideal for small gardens and spaces where traditional trees won’t fit. And contrary to what one might expect, this isn’t some foofy notion. The espalier technique has demonstrated its value to the extent that it’s being adopted by commercial orchards to increase their yield and profitability.[2]

When fruit trees are planted closely together, their growth is checked; they naturally direct less energy into growing branches, leaves, and roots, and more into growing fruit and at an earlier age.[3]

Preparedness Reasons to Adopt Espalier

Grow more fruit and more varieties in a limited space so that you have fresh fruit over a longer period.[4] [5]
Pick fruit more easily without a ladder or with only a small stepstool—increasingly important as we age.
Produce more fruit earlier as intensive pruning diverts energy from vertical growth into the lateral fruit-bearing spurs.[6]

Advantages of Espalier

Small trees are much easier to spray, thin, prune, net and harvest than large trees.[7] [8]
If planted next to a south-facing wall (brick and stucco are best), the slightly warmer microclimate may allow some trees to yield fruit in a colder region than they would normally tolerate.[9]
Pruning occurs throughout the spring, summer, and fall, when temperatures are more favorable, and thus the pruning is more likely to get done.
Planting more varieties (because you have more space) results in better cross-pollination and ultimately heavier yields.[10]
Trees can screen unsightly views or add privacy.[11]
Better air circulation due to heavier pruning means fewer pest and disease problems.[12]

Disadvantages of Espalier

More intensive pruning.

Espalier Designs

In keeping with the idea of stealth gardening, espaliered fruit trees are not going to look like “fruit” trees. To an outsider, they’ll look like some crazy homeowner has too much time on his hands. Unless, of course, there is fruit on the tree.

Of the six traditional patterns used in espalier, only two are commonly employed with fruit trees. The others—palmetto verrier, fan, candelabra, and Belgian fence—require more pruning to maintain their shape and won’t necessarily be conducive to a busy garden.[13]

Cordon, or “rope”, is the most traditional form in which branches are trained to grow horizontally out of one central trunk. A multi-tier cordon has three to five tiers of branches. Cordon espaliering is used to form living fences or increase yields in small orchards.[14]
Informal is more naturally shaped, but still in a single plane and requires only simple pruning.[15]

Espalier Support

Espalier trees are grown on a strong supportive form of wood or galvanized wire, including a wood or chain link fence, brick wall, or other flat surface such as the side of a garage, house, or other building as long as a support structure can be attached to it. Wire stretched between posts is most commonly used when there are many trees to be grown.[16] The tree should be at least 8” from any flat surfaces to allow for growth and air movement. Supports are placed based on the growth pattern selected and plants are pruned and tied to the supports as they grow.[17]

Choosing Trees to Espalier

Dwarf trees are easier to train than standard size trees.[18] Apple and pear trees are the traditional choice for espalier. Pruning is easier because the fruit-producing spurs live for years and the new growth is easily trained.[19] While peaches and pomegranates, which are naturally semi-dwarf, also espalier well, really any variety of fruit tree can be espaliered, as long as it suits your climate.[20] [21] Keep in mind that they may simply require more careful pruning.