HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1987-04-15, Page 42Page 16
Grow shrubs d trees on walls and fences
Want to grow your own apples, peaches or
pears, but your garden is just too small?
Or having problems finding a suitable
plant to grow in that narrow bed between
the house and sidewalk?
Then, why not grow an espaliered fruit
tree or shrub, says Horticulturist Wayne
Brown of the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food's plant industry
branch.
"What is an espalier ( ess-PAL-yer )? My
definition is one used by old European
gardeners: a fruit tree or a flowering shrub
trained to grow flat against a wall or
trellis," Brown said.
The horizontal espalier is most common.
It' has one to six tiers of branches trained
horizontally to the right and left of the trunk.
Because most espaliers are trained to
Fruit trees and shrubs grow in
narrow spots around the house
grow only to eye level, the job of pruning,
thinning and spraying can be done with
ease.
Modern apple cultivars grafted on semi -
dwarfing rootstocks provide ideal trees to
tra_ing the old European pruning
methods.
Peach, pear, and cherry trees can also be
trained.
Shrubs such as Firethorn, Forsythia of
flowing Quince can be used effectively.
Before planting the young tree or shrub,
you must first determine the plant's use.
For example, espaliers can be used to
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separate the vegetable garden from the
lawn or as a screen along a fence or as a
feature around the terrace or patio.
Fruit trees should be planted where they
will receive at least six hours of sunlight, if
you want the tree to produce fruits.
Usually a wall with a southeast to
southwest exposure is best.
"But be sure to place the espalier 30 cen-
timetres to 45 centimetres away from the
house to minimize the influence of reflected
sunlight during the late winter months when
the tree must remain dormant," Brown
added.
A wire suspension system must be set up
to train the plant to grow in this manner.
If you are suspending the espalier against
the house or garage wall, begin by drilling a
pair of deep holes in the wall, about 2.5 cm
deep, three metres apart and 30 cm to 45 cm
above the ground.
Set 2.5 cm lead anchors in the holes and
then screw eyebolts into the anchors until
secure.
Then drill holes at 30 cm intervals above
the bottom most pair, depending on the
number of tiers desired.
Fasten No. 14 galvanized wire, horizontal-
ly between the pairs of eyebolts.
Vinyl -coated wire can also be used.
If the espalier is in the open or along a
fence, fasten the • wires to well -braced
wooden posts.
Ties are another important consideration.
Pruning is the essence of training an
espalier.
It takes a stout heart because we are not
used to restricting plants to a limited area:
the Europeans, on the other hand, have been
required to impose a greater degree of order
on Mother Nature because of the limited
space in their gardens." Brown said.
Purchase a fruit tree about 1.2 metres to
1.5 metres in height or buy a "one-year
whip", a tree about one metre high with a
few very small branches.
In either case, you must prune the bran-
ches back so that there are only three buds
left, one bud to the left of the first wire, one
bud to the right of the first wire, and one to
train upwards.
By the end of June, these three buds will
have produced 20 cm to 30 cm long shoots.
Fasten bamboo canes at 45 degree angles
from the horizontal support near the base of
the two shoots up to the second wire.
Tie the flexible shoots to the canes.
Fasten the third bamboo cane to the
upright shoot.
In late August, untie the two side shoots
and attach them to the bottom wire, being
careful not to break the shoots as you posi-
tion them in a horizontal line.
In late winter, prune the upright shoot to a
bud, five cm above the second wire.
Then repeat the same procedures as the
previous year and continue training until
you reach the top wire.
In June, prune all laterals that develop on
the horizontal arms back to three leaves
from the basal cluster to encourage spur
growth.
And in the fall, prune all secondary shoots
produced in mid -summer, back in one bud.
As the espalier matures, the laterals may
require thinning to one lateral every seven
cm to 12 em.
"Training the espalier takes a little time
throughout the season, but the fruits of your
labor in a space no greater than 60 cm to 80
cm wide, will be most rewarding over the
years," Brown said.
2"rnerson
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