North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Diane Whitehead <voltaire@islandnet.com>]

I've just read a fruit tree training article called Bending the Rules 
in the February 2002 issue of The Garden, the journal of the Royal 
Horticultural Society.  I searched the NAFEX list archives, and did a 
Google search but did not find any further information.

S-training was developed by commercial orchardists in South Africa, 
Netherlands and Belgium.  This article advocates its use by home 
gardeners.

The practitioner quoted in the article: Will Sibley, a freelance 
grafter and pruner in England, says S-training is attractive and a 
lot easier than traditional methods of espalier.  Trees on M9 
dwarfing rootstock are planted against a post and trained into an S 
shape during the first two years. From then on, pruning and training 
is minimal. Optimum production will be in four years, when apple 
trees will produce around 18 kg (40 lbs) annually.

It can also be used for nectarines, peaches, apricots, and plums, but 
not pears or cherries.

Have any of you tried this?



--
Diane Whitehead  Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
maritime zone 8
cool mediterranean climate (dry summer, rainy winter - 68 cm annually)
sandy soil