Espalier fruit is the perfect choice if you have a small garden but still want to plant and harvest fruit. With espaliered fruit you can take advantage of the height because you get a vertical garden. You can place this on the wall of the house or on a wall. These are warmed wonderfully by the sun and offer the perfect conditions for the plants to thrive. However, there are a few things to consider.
Espaliered fruit in the garden is not forbeginnerand should only be considered if sufficient time can be invested in care and certain specialist knowledge is available. Losses are also not at all uncommon and the gardener should be aware of them.
Once you have decided to do this, you will definitely find some tips helpful. We would also like to introduce you to some varieties to choose for this type of fruit growing. In addition, there are the requirements that each type of fruit brings with it and should help you with your gardening.
In addition to grape vines, you can grow your own sweet and sour cherries, blackberries, apricots, apples and pears. Not only is it a useful thing in terms of harvest, but also visually it is a wonderful decoration and idea for designing the garden. Get everything ready soon because the last frost will soon be a thing of the past and it will then be time to spruce up the garden.
The grape vine is a great choice if you want to add some southern flair to your garden or just love grapes. The grapevine as an espalier fruit in the garden requires a lot of sun and also requires a lot of care. The place should also be as sheltered from the wind as possible, which is why the wall is a good choice. Wire, rods, grids or even ropes are suitable for tendrils.
The thick branches should be tied to the framework so that it is on the outside. The fruit-bearing branches may be behind it. Either way, they will be cut off later. An important cut for this espaliered fruit in the garden takes place in winter. Maybe a second one in the summer. The vine can grow up to 10 meters high. So regular trimming to keep them low is important. Choose grapes that are green, yellow, red or blue in color.
Pears are very popular and, like the grape vine, very well known. The warm space on the wall also makes it possible to cultivate southern varieties. So choose a sunny location as the ideal location. South or west walls are particularly suitable. The soil must also be warm and deep.
An important fact you should know is that pears are not self-pollinating. The plants therefore need other varieties nearby to be used for fertilization. Pruning is another feature of pear care that seems difficult. For this reason, it is important to seek expert advice or read specialist books in advance in order to be successful in harvesting.
The apples are very demanding. They are not particularly fans of the wall as a location. So if you have a piece of open space left in the garden, it is best to choose it for the apple trees. If not, try it on a west wall. The apples don't like the heat of the south face too much. Humus-rich soil that is moist and regularly watered is also very important.
As with pears, the right “partner” is important for apples. You need at least two varieties that go together. There are apple varieties that are suitable for small trellises as well as for medium and tall ones. Which one you choose depends on what you want and how much space you have available. Dwarf apples and columnar apples are not at all suitable as espalier fruit in the garden for the facade. Slats or ropes are suitable as climbing aids.
Peaches as espalier fruit in the garden need as much sun as possible. Choose the south or southwest wall. If you don't have enough space there, the southeast wall is also a suitable alternative. It is very important that the soil should not dry out after the flowering period. The fruits need a lot of moisture to ripen. The properties of the soil will also determine what type of seedling support you need.
Depending on the variety, the peaches bloom in white, pink or red and relatively early. As espaliered fruit in the garden on the wall, this happens even earlier than in the open field, because the warm wall promotes ripeness. Cutting is not an easy task and should best be carried out professionally or at least after having read or informed extensively. Peaches are particularly susceptible to powdery mildew, aphids and leaf curl disease.
Apricots are less susceptible to disease. However, it is important for the fruit that the plant receives the right amount of water and warmth. The late frost doesn't do the plant any good either. The house facade offers an advantage in all of this. There it receives protection from the cold and the amount of rainwater is also limited with a roof board. Choose a south-facing wall and remove weeds regularly. Other plants really bother the apricot. The plant, like the peach, needs sufficient water after the flowering period. Otherwise the fruit will drop. Ropes, wood or medium-high construction kits are suitable for climbing. Shaping the apricot is very difficult. For this reason, you can simply leave it in a fan shape, like with the vine.
The sour cherry is particularly undemanding and therefore easy to care for. So easy that even a north face can still be chosen. However, east or west walls are still preferable, because partial shade is the perfect option for this fruit tree. When it comes to the soil, you should just make sure that it is not too clayey and moist. An annual trimming of the branch tips is necessary to stimulate lush branches. In addition, the monilla spores located in the tip buds are also removed. When it comes to sweet cherries, free-standing spindle trees are preferable. Care on the trellis is rarely worth it.
If you want to plant the kiwi, keep in mind that it grows quickly and takes up a lot of space. The ornamental is particularly suitable, but also theMini-Kiwi. Again, choose a sunny location that is also sheltered from the wind. It is important that the soil is moist and low in lime, slightly acidic and rich in humus. Waterlogging must be avoided at all costs as the roots can rot. In areas with colder climates, a harvest can fail in some years.
However, if it produces fruit, you should not harvest it until shortly before the first frost. In this way you allow full ripeness and the acid content is also reduced. There are both self-pollinating varieties and those in which male and female plants have to be next to each other. Inquire! The vitamin-rich, exotic fruit is particularly suitable for the pergola.
Since the leaves of the blackberry usually do not fall off even in winter, the shrub is a popular plant for greening the garden. Their delicious fruits also make the shrub the perfect espalier fruit in the garden, whether on the wall or on a free-standing wire fence. In principle, the location doesn’t matter. Both the blazing sun and the shade are good for the shrub. The soil shouldn't be too dry.
In order for the fruits to ripen well from the second year of life onwards, it needs a sheltered and warm location. Allow the blackberries to climb along fences, trellises or on a trellis. A height of 3 meters is rarely exceeded because the branches strive to grow horizontally. When it comes to blackberries, the pricklier the branches, the more delicious the fruit!
The quince, which can grow up to six meters high, is just as undemanding as the sour cherry. Their fruits are wonderful for making jam or jelly. To ensure that the fruits are edible, a south-facing wall is important for the quince. There is still no guarantee and then only in October or November.
Although it loves the sun, it also does very well in partial shade. When it comes to soil, it is important to ensure that it is sufficiently permeable and does not allow waterlogging. The climbing aid should be chosen to be stable. The quince is only cut a little every year as an espalier fruit in the garden.
