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Fruit_tree_forms.
Fruit tree forms
Fruit Tree Forms
The shapes of most fruit trees can be manipulated by pruning and training in order to
increase yield, or to improve their suitability for different situations and conditions.
Pruning a tree to a pyramid shape means that trees can be planted closer together. An
open bowl or cup form increases the penetration of sunlight, thus encouraging a high
fruit yield whilst keeping the tree short and easy to pick from. Other shapes such as
cordons, espaliers and fans offer opportunities for growing trees two dimensionally
against walls or fences, or can themselves be trained as barriers.
Bush trees are the traditional open goblet shaped form, with a clear lower stem.
Cordons are single stemmed trees with fruiting spurs planted at an angle. Any side
branches are removed by pruning. cordons take less space and crop earlier than most
other forms which means that more varieties can be got into a small space, but yields
are smaller per tree.
Espaliers have a central vertical trunk with three or four horizontal branches each side.
Fans have a short central trunk with several radiating branches growing from the
crown.
Step-over espaliers have single horizontal branches @ 1’ from the ground and make a
novel and productive border to the vegetable plot.
All of these shapes require training by tying the branches to the required form, and
pruning to retain the desired structure. This is usually carried out in autumn for major
cutting back and late summer for light trimming. Autumn pruning encourages woody
growth whilst late summer pruning encourages fruiting.
Not all trees will accept all of the shapes above- apples and pears do well as cordons
and espaliers for example, whereas cherries prefer to be fanned.
YIELDS AND SPACING TABLE
Apples & pears
Yield
Spacing
Apples
Pears
In rows
Rows apart
Bush
60-120lb
40-100lb
12-18'
12-18'
Dwarf bush
30-50lb
20-40lb
8-15'
8-15'
Dwarf pyramid
10-15lb
8-12lb
5-6'
6'
Espalier (2 tier)
20-25lb
15-20lb
10-18'
6'
Fan
12-30lb
12-30lb
12-18'
-
Single cordon
5-8lb
4-6lb
2.5-3'
6'
Standard
100-400lb
80-240lb
18-30'
18-30'
Other tree fruits
Bush (Morello cherry)
30-40lb
12-18'
12-18'
Bush (plum & peach)
30-60lb
12-18'
12-18'
Bush, standard (sweet cherry)
30-120lb
15-40'
15-40'
Fan (all stone fruits)
15-30lb
12-18'
-
Fan (sweet cherry)
12-30lb
18-25'
-
Pyramid (plum)
30-50lb
10-12'
10-12'
Standard (plum, peach & apricot)
30-120lb
18-25'
18-25'
See also
The above article is adapted from from Wikipedia All Wikipedia article text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
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