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Cut off of retrain Espalier apple branch?

    4 responses

Nick starts with ...
Hello everyone,
I have a 3 year old apple espalier tree and am just pruning it for the start of summer. There are a number of vertical branches off the central stem - please see pictures attached.
Should I be cutting off these vertical secondary branches (sorry for incorrect terminology, novice) or trying to retrain them as another horizontal branch?
Thank you for any advice.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Picture: 2
 
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Nick
Chelsea Heights
30th November 2019 9:33am
#UserID: 21308
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Waterfall says...
This is a good video for you to watch on apple espalier.

https://youtu.be/-n-1Fm9xUW4
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Waterfall
WATERFALL,2233,NSW
1st December 2019 9:12am
#UserID: 10026
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Manfred says...
If that espalier is as tall as you want it to be, cut them off. If you are willing to go another level up, train them up and then allow new growth across.

You don't have the room on the laterals for another branch. Vertical growth like that is incompatible with the philosophy of the espalier and won't be productive until it grows new fruiting spurs. It looks to me like you have room for at least another level (or two)before you reach the top of that fence.
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Manfred
Wamboin
1st December 2019 7:54pm
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Nick says...
Thanks Manfred. Sorry for the delay in response to your helpful advice. I have taken your advice and tried to train them up. Time will tell. Sadly, my espalier has only borne two apples this summer (and has been in decline each summer of the last 3) so that is something I will have to investigate separately. I could potentially be watering it too much.
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Nick
Chelsea Heights
16th January 2020 6:10pm
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Nick says...
Thanks Waterfall for sharing the video, and sorry too for my delayed response in writing. I did watch this excellent video prior to placing my query on the forum - very informative!
As it didn't seem to outline on new vertical growth off the primary tree branch, I posed the matter to this forum. Thank you for sharing.
Now all I need to do now is find out what my espalier has only produced two apples all summer. Off to investigate. Thanks!
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Nick
Chelsea Heights
16th January 2020 6:16pm
#UserID: 21308
Posts: 3
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