fruit trees

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by dreuky, Aug 25, 2015.

  1. dreuky

    dreuky Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2014
    Messages:
    147
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    18
    We are planning on having a row of Espaliered fruit trees. It is getting late to be planting out bare rooted fruit trees I am wondering if the trees could be planted & then the trellis put up in a month or two. And then the trees pruned tied onto the wires?
     
  2. Raymondo

    Raymondo Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2008
    Messages:
    133
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    18
    You can add the trellis at a later date if you wish. Tie the branches to the trellis but prune when suitable for that species.
     
  3. Bryant RedHawk

    Bryant RedHawk Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2014
    Messages:
    607
    Likes Received:
    83
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Arkansas Senior Appraiser
    Location:
    Vilonia, Arkansas, deep in the woods
    Climate:
    USDA zone 7b,8a.
    Generally it is after the first full year of growth after planting that you start training an espalier tree. When you plant any bare root tree you have to prune it back for the purpose of establishing a strong root system. Once this root system is going well (you can tell it has established by new branches sprouting from the buds) you can then start the training, regardless of the type of training you want to do. I have even started trees in containers for the first year then transplanted in the fall of the second year, then started the pruning and training the third year. For espalier it is imperative that you have the number of side branches desired prior to cutting out the leader (main trunk) of the tree so you can force the side branches to become nice and thick. From there, yearly pruning, following the normal pruning sequence (dead wood, crossing wood, tip trimming) will establish the desired growth pattern.
     
  4. Geoff Zeiger

    Geoff Zeiger New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2016
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Gender:
    Male
    Climate:
    USDA zone 7a
    I had read the thinking had changed on pruning bare-root trees. Although the "excess" branches may not leaf well in their first year, this is in part because the plant is drawing on them for carbohydrates to grow roots.
     
  5. Bryant RedHawk

    Bryant RedHawk Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2014
    Messages:
    607
    Likes Received:
    83
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Arkansas Senior Appraiser
    Location:
    Vilonia, Arkansas, deep in the woods
    Climate:
    USDA zone 7b,8a.
    If a tree is going to store carbs for root growth, there must be leaves on the branch, otherwise there is not enough photosynthesis happening to encourage root growth.
    An application of Vitamin B-12 in liquid form does more for root formation and nutrient up take than bare branches above ground. On the trials I've done with bare root trees, some left as I got them and some pruned back about 1/3, it was the pruned tree subjects that ended up stronger after their first year in soil. So for me, I will continue to use the method that has performed best in my conditions.

    You can, (my trial is currently underway) keep bare root trees in a pail of water that contains vitamin B-12 and trace minerals for up to three months with out the tree suffering. I currently have five bare root whips that are in water with the mentioned nutrients, they are growing nicely here at the 2 month stage. These trees will be planted in the next few weeks without any pruning, they are started well and the root system has doubled in the two months they have been on a liquid diet. (these subject trees are bare root from the Arbor day foundation), they arrived as 1 year old whips. The control group is the same tree, arrived with the subject trees but were planted in ground within the first week of arrival, they are leafing nicely but the control trees (un pruned at planting) are not as leafed out as the subject trees. The control group was watered in with the same liquid nutrient that the subject trees are sitting in.
     
  6. Bryant RedHawk

    Bryant RedHawk Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2014
    Messages:
    607
    Likes Received:
    83
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Arkansas Senior Appraiser
    Location:
    Vilonia, Arkansas, deep in the woods
    Climate:
    USDA zone 7b,8a.
    I just re-read my post above and noticed I left out some important observations.
    1. When you are planting bare root trees, do not fully remove any branch if and when you prune back. I leave 4 buds on all branches. I do not top the main stem (trunk) unless you want a short tree you should let the tree become well
    established before you do this, the main trunk is what establishes the eventual height of the tree. A tree that is topped will have a weak fork, this is not ever good.
    2. Try to plant bare root trees in the spring (or when the seller sends them to you since they usually ship at the right time for your area).
    3. Do give a bare root tree some nourishment help but not by using "fertilizer" the reason for this is that you want roots first not massive leaf out.
    If you don't establish the roots first, the tree will most likely experience shock and drop most if not all of the new leaves, that spells more stress and can lead to tree death.
     
  7. Brian Knight

    Brian Knight Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2015
    Messages:
    60
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Great advice Bryant. You repeated the topped tree comment in the Maqui tree thread. Not that I have an example to try, but do you think you could re-establish a main trunk by wiring one of the side branches up? I'm sure growth would be slower overall but seems like you could create a new leader that way.
     
  8. Bryant RedHawk

    Bryant RedHawk Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2014
    Messages:
    607
    Likes Received:
    83
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Arkansas Senior Appraiser
    Location:
    Vilonia, Arkansas, deep in the woods
    Climate:
    USDA zone 7b,8a.
    Hi Brian, good to see you.

    Yes you can use a branch to make a new leader on just about any tree.
    I have a length of #2 copper ground wire (no insulation) that I use for that type of training.
    I wrap the wire rather loosely around the trunk and then the branch this lets you work the branch to the upright position and the wraps around the trunk give an anchor point.
    If you can choose a branch which has the junction already close to upright it makes training the new leader much easier and quicker.
    The only things to watch for when doing this procedure are; bend it slow enough that the bark doesn't crack and don't wrap the wire so tight that the branch can't grow much before it would be tight against the wire, thus denting the bark which will slow growth as well as damage the branch.
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2016

Share This Page

-->