Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 5.18
Left to right: Nashi pear spurs, Macintosh apple spurs, European plum spurs.
to within 2 to 2.5 cm from the branch, the
small buds at the base of the stub will grow
into fruiting spurs. These may need to be
thinned through the years and any wood
shoots arising from them should be cut back
ruthlessly to within one leaf/bud from the
stub. The spurs fruit for many years so it is
easy to keep the fruiting growth close to the
mother branch.
apical buds race away to the detriment of the
axillary buds, so all shoots should be pinched
back every 30 cm as a matter of course to
redistribute the hormones and cambium flow
needed to keep the lower buds alive.
New shoots arising from the branches
should be cut back in summer to two buds/
leaves after harvest. The buds that develop
Aim to have the spurs evenly spaced at 15 to
20 cm apart along the branch - not a cluster
together then 60 cm of unproductive wood; a
mortal sin in the espalier world!
ESPALIERFRUITTREES
• Horizontal growth produces fruit
• Vertical growth produces wood
• Build a secure support/trellis
• Always keep fruiting growth as close as
possible to the mother branches
• Prune, pinch out through late spring
summer and autumn
• Prune according to the fruiting habit of
your tree
• Be aware that plants want to grow vertically
not horizontally
• Remove any vertical growth/apical
dominance, except when encouraging
woody growth for mother branches
Some buds along the mother branch may
refuse to produce growth. This can be
remedied, pinching out the apical buds of
branches or by semi-cincturing
(see pages 41 and 42).
Peach,nectarine,almond,Japaneseplum,
sourcherry
These trees fruit on the wood produced the
previous spring. They are all strong-growing
trees and tend to live fast and die young. Their
