An espalier — a live fencing — is an elegant wood or chain of mountains link alternative .
Using standardpruning techniques , you could traindwarf yield treesto form a survive fence to enhance youryard ’s privacyand provide beauty and tonic green goods . In a living fencing , orespalier(pronounced es - PAL - yay ) , plants turn along a ordinarily flat , symmetrical framework against a wall , trellis , or freestanding support . Frequent pruning and ligature of fresh growth direct the plant life into a decorative radiation diagram , such as cross diamond or horizontal arms or elbows .
Plan yourespalierto meet your needs . For instance , if you desire yield , select apeach , dwarf apple , orpearthat is John Rock - solid unfearing in your surface area . Or choose a flower tree diagram or shrub such asflowering crabapple , magnolia , or doublefile genus Viburnum ( Japanese Abronia elliptica ) for a purely ornamental livelihood fence .
Select fruits that are disease-resistant, like this ‘Jonafree’ dwarf apple.
Although create anespalierisn’t particularly difficult , it does take time . look to expect three years for yield , and plan to expend some clip each year doing light pruning and training of branches .
What You’ll Need
Equipment / Tools
Materials
Instructions
How to Build a Living Fence
Create a Support
take an overall approach pattern for your keep fencing . ( For our example , we selected a diamond pattern . ) Build an appropriate fabric of posts ( 8 feet apart ) , a top rail , and heavy - gauge telegram horizontal support . Stretch conducting wire tautly from post to post , space vertically at 1 - foot interval , to create a theoretical account . If youtrain trees against a wall , leave 12 inches between the bodily structure and the backup system to allow for maintenance and atmosphere circulation . Plant 2- or 3 - year - old dwarf tree at least an weapon ’s length aside .
Anchor the Plants
Make planting hollow at least twice the diameter of the works ’s rootage ball . industrial plant treesslightly in front of the wire supports . Refill the planting pickle and water supply thoroughly . Water new trees weekly during their first summer and fall if rain is lacking . Cut off branches extend to the back or front ; lead arm reaching to the face .
If you train tree diagram along a bulwark , put a nail or an eye hook in the bulwark near intersecting branch . broadly speaking twist a plant tie around the branches and the hook .
Train the Plants
Crisscross branches from neighboring trees to train them into the desire pattern for your living fence . wrick a industrial plant draw around the branches and the wire to secure them , leave way for branch growth . Over the next three or so years , prune and train treesin late winter . As the trees develop , carry on to cross and tie the arm to the model , snipping unwanted outgrowth to maintain the practice . Remove fruit bud for the first two years to concentrate the tree diagram ’s muscularity into growing branches . Look forfruitin the third year .
Garden and Deck Privacy Ideas
Select fruits that are disease-resistant, like this ‘Jonafree’ dwarf apple.
