Espaliering fruit trees.

Yesterday Pat & I bought 3 fruit trees. 2 plum & a nectarine.

Today we start the joyful job of planting them out in the garden.

2 trees will be espaliered and 1 plum tree will be planted out in the duck run.

Lots of other plans for today in the garden as well. Later on today (late) and over the next few days I'll be posting the photos of how my day goes and how well I get my list of play knocked over.

I have posted photos on my blog of 2 fruit trees espaliered. Very happy with the way it all went. Looking forward to learning more about this form of gardening.

http://luckysduckfarm.blogspot.com/2008/07/espalier-trees.html

I bought 12 dwarf apple trees from Woddbridges. I have planted them but haven't put in any framework for espalier. The only person I had available to help was going to dig great big holes through my soil to the sub soil, and put in concrete. I decided I will just by tall steel posts, and whack them in as deep as they will go with my post whacker, then run wires along them.
I figure I can't do worse than the espaliers they have at the Garden of St. erth (may I be struck down for slander) Maybe their espaliers are to inspire confidence in the newbie gardeners who look at them and decide "Hmmm - Well I'm sure I could easily do better than that" ?
I only intend to let my trees grow 6 to 7 ft - no more, cos I'm a shorty. I have 6 in each row, planted a metre apart in the row and about 1.5 m between rows. I intend to plant comfrey down the middle (after mulching) and slash it each year. My siberian irises that have to be moved, are crying out for the front row position.
Cheers, Jan

Trees are now starting to bud. Going to look extra wonderful out in my backyard this summer.