North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Alan Haigh <alandhaigh@gmail.com>]

Espaliers lend a lot of ascetic appeal, especially to formal gardens, in my opinion.  For avid fruit growers their benefit can extend beyond this.  An espalier against a south facing wall seems to enhance fruit quality in at least 2 ways here in the northeast. 

 

The sweetest and cleanest 20th Century Asian pears I've ever eaten were grown as such.  The reflected light and increased warmth can work wonders on some varieties of fruit up here.   I've heard that in most of England it's the only way to get sweet peaches.

 

The Lorette maintenance system is something I've only seen discussed in books- never seen it practiced.  Mostly I read of his methods as being largely dismissed in Europe as well as here.  I was taught to limit the pruning of espaliers to mostly a single event in mid-summer, late enough to discourage significant regrowth (here, that's about mid July to mid Aug).  Works for me- I get plenty of pear and apple trees loaded with fruit.  I've had decent success with stone-fruit as well, especially plums.