Training and Pruning: Malus (Apple) Espalier

Most of the charm of a tree trained in the form of an espalier is it's symetrical form so it is really important to train, prune, maintain it with care.

In the early years of it's life, the training of an espalier tree is easiers from a whip. The central leading stem is cut each winter, just before where the next layer of branches is required. This will direct the tree's energy into lateral branches that will bud from just below the pruning cut. The topmost shoot is then tied vertically and the two which have just emerged are first trained diagonally at 45 degrees on canes to keep them straight.

At the end of the growing season, the cane along with the branch is lowered to the horizontal position. If the branches are growing at an uneven pace, the one which is growing slower can be temporarily be raised slightly to encourage the growth.

This method is repeated until the height of the tree is at the point that you desire. At this point, the central leading shoot is cut back along with the horizontal branches to just one bud in late spring or summer. This will discourage any further growth from appearing at the top and invigorate the horizontal branches.

On an established trees the lower branches are more likely to fruit before the top branches. As each tier is created, the ones below will produce side shoots which should be summer pruned to produce fruiting spurs. This pruning system is called the Lorette system. The full Lorette system can be used in the warmer climates but for the cooler climates of North West England (and indeed Western Europe) the system is modified to discourage secondary growth which has the distinct possibility of frost damage.

Pruning is best done in mid to late winter, ideally after the worst of the weather but as discussed below, espalier trees will need pruning in summer too in order to maintain their shape byu restricting their growth.

Pruning should not take place until the basal third (third nearest the plant) of the new branch has turned woody and it's growth has slowed down. When exactly to do it will depend on the weather but the shoots will be ready to prune over a period of about 2-3 weeks. Do not prune any growth less than 22cm long. If the new growth is not shortened, trees can easily outgrow their site with the trained form becoming un-recognisable. This foliage also has the habit of shading ripening fruit on lower tiers from the sun.

• Prune new shoots growing directly from the trunk or main tiered branches to 3 leaves above the basal cluster of leaves.
• Prune sideshoots from existing lateral branches or spurs back to one bud above the basal cluster of leaves.

Regular summer pruning is essential otherwise the energy of the plant will go into the upper tiers and trunk rather than lower tiers. If the top tiers still tend to be vigorousin spite of summer pruning, a balance maybe restored by the thinning of shoots on the spurs after growth has started.

In order to further discourage growth, a few of the vigorously growing shoots maybe left un pruned to draw the sap out later in the season rather than creating new buds which will grow into shoots. Prune these shoots in spring, and if the secondary growth does not appear prune it back to a bud at the base in mid autumn.

Winter pruning or 'spur-pruning' is the shortening of lateral branches to stimulate shorter, fruiting side shoots. Growth from these of course will also be shortened building up series of knobbly spur systems on each lateral branch. As the tree gets older, and the spur systems get more complex, winter pruning will help to relieve overcrowding of the branches. Unproductive or overcrowded spurs can be pruned, and if the spurs themselves become too close then the whole spur can be removed if necessary. Only the most vigorous branch leaders are not pruned as this would only encourage a more vigorous growth and divert the trees energy away from fruit production.

Trees which are tip-beares however should not be spur-pruned as this will remove the growing tip where the fruit will then form. To prune these, on a yearly basis, cut back a proportion of the older fruited shoots either completely or to 1 or 2 buds leaving what is left to produce fruit. These in turn are removed after a few years and the newer growth is stimulated by pruning cuts to other shoots. By doing this, all of the trees fruiting wood is gradually renewed over a period of years.

This pruning will need to take place where necessary every year.