ABOUT OUR APPLE ESPALIERS
Rosaceae
Relatives: Pear, Quince, Cherry, Apricot, Raspberry
We are offering - on a limited and trial basis - multi tiered Espalier apple trees of Ein Shemmer and various fig cultivars since they are all self fertile. These tiers (lateral branches), as measured from the ground upwards, will have the lowest tier around 18 inches above the ground, the next (or middle) tier will be about 36 inches from the ground, and the top tier will be approximately at 54 inches from the ground. We have had so much interest in the few we are display growing at the Nursery that we thought we'd see if there was sufficient interest in selling them to the public, already started in their training, in containers. Designed to be grown against a garden fence or wall, the basic shape has already been developed for you. Additional shaping through their years of growth is both fund to do and needed. Best to do the heavy pruning in the winter (dormant) season but occasionally shaping and pruning is encouraged during the plant's growing season as the limbs are more limber and as such, less subject to breakage.
DESCRIPTION
From Wikipedia: The word espalier is French, and it comes from the Italian spalliera, meaning "something to rest the shoulder (spalla) against." During the 17th Century, the word initially referred only to the actual trellis or frame on which such a plant was trained to grow, but over time it has come to be used to describe both the practice and the plants themselves. Espalier as a technique seems to have started with the ancient Romans. In the Middle Ages the Europeans refined it into an art. The practice was popularly used in Europe to produce fruit inside the walls of a typical castle courtyard without interfering with the open space and to decorate solid walls by planting flattened trees near them. Vineyards have used the technique in the training of grapes for hundreds or perhaps even thousands of years.
Espalier training of shrubs and trees dates back hundreds of years and offers a very unique presentation of a living tree in your garden or yard. For example, when several of the Egyptain Tombs were opened, Archeologists and Egytologists discovered paintings of espaliered figs on many of the Tomb walls and ceilings, with many dating back four thousand years. Always best displayed against a garden or home wall, the espalier apple trees have been pruned and tied to support wires at predetermined heights to initiate the training of the lateral branches. Additional branches can (should) be considered as they become available to increase the interest of your espalier.
CULTIVATION
Full sun; water as needed; plan on limited fruit production for first year or so, as you prune and continue to train. Expect increased fruit production once you finish the desired look on your espalier.
CULTIVARS