Why not plant a hedge that is more than just a hedge? A hedge, for example, which also bears delicious fruit every summer. Trellis fruit may be planted close to the property line. In no time, a profitable privacy screen is created for years to come.
Trellis fruit can be planted as an attractive, if not entirely opaque, hedge
Usable fruits
In principle, all types of fruit that thrive outdoors in our latitude can be trained as a trellis. But while apples and pears can be easily trimmed into a flat shape, the cherry is a lot more work. It is so vigorous that, depending on the variety, it has to be cut up to three times per summer. Watch out for a weak-growing rootstock here. The sour cherry is also not an ideal espalier fruit, as its fruit wood is not long-lived.
tips
A hedge can be very long. You are welcome to combine several types of fruit in it.
soil conditions and location
When choosing the type of fruit, not only your own taste should have a say. So that the fruit yield is right, the soil conditions and the location should harmonize with the requirements of the tree. Get advice from a local tree nursery. If necessary, the soil can be improved before planting.
framework for the mold
A hedge should present a straight, even appearance. No tree can do that naturally. Therefore, a stable framework is necessary to which the trellis fruit is attached. You can build the scaffolding yourself.
- Anchor stable, approximately 2.5 m high posts in the ground
- a distance of 2 to 3 m is ideal
- stretch wires between them horizontally
- several rows with a distance of 50 cm from each other
plant fruit trees
The ideal time to create a hedge of espalier fruit is every frost-free day between October and March. However, the earlier the trees are planted, the more time they have to grow into spring.
Mix the excavation with compost so that the tree starts with enough nutrients. The planting distance between two trees is between 1 and 2 m, depending on the type of fruit and the shape of the trellis.