Planting an Espalier of Asian Pear Trees
It’s no secret how much I love planting trees - all kinds of trees, especially productive fruit trees.
Recently, I purchased 10 espalier Asian pear trees from Snug Harbor Farm in Kennebunk, Maine. Espalier refers to an ancient technique, resulting in trees that grow flat, either against a wall, or along a wire-strung framework. Many kinds of trees respond beautifully to the espalier treatment, but fruit trees, like apple and pear, were some of the earliest examples. And, because necessary sunlight reaches every piece of fruit that these trees bear, espalier pruning remains standard procedure at commercial orchards in France. Earlier this week, I plotted out where my new pear trees would be planted - on one side of my stable in front of my peafowl and pigeon pens - and then my outdoor grounds crew took on the task of getting them into the ground.
Enjoy these photos.
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- Once the pear trees arrived at the farm, I had them brought down to this area just in front of my peafowl pen. If you caught my new HGTV show “Martha Knows Best,” you know I’ve been doing a lot of work down in this location – planting trees and creating a nice pathway in front of the yard entrance. I think the pear tree espalier will look great here.
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- I plotted where I wanted the trees to be planted and my outdoor grounds crew foreman, Chhiring Sherpa, used marking spray, often used for landscaping jobs, to indicate those exact spots.
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- And then it was time to start digging the holes. The trees will be spaced just under seven-feet apart. This will allow them room as they grow, but still be close enough for a proper espalier. For an espalier, they can grow between four and eight feet apart.
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- I have six ‘Shinseiki’ and four ‘Nijisseiki’ pear trees. ‘Shinseiki’ Asian pear means “new century” and was developed from two of the best Asian pears of the 1940s. The ‘Shinseiki’ Asian pear is round, medium to large, yellow smooth-skinned fruit with little or no russet. It has crisp, creamy white flesh, and a mild, sweet flavor. The ‘Nijisseiki’ pear, or the 20th Century Asian pear as it is often called, is incredibly delicious, easy to grow, and smells just like a pear, but, like an apple, the outside of the fruit is crisp, firm and round.
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- The principle behind espaliering a tree is simple. Plants have a main growing point or stem, known as a leader. If you remove this leader, shoots emerge from buds found on the sides of the stem, and below the cut. The best side shoots are chosen to guide and train them to create the boughs of the espalier tree. The topmost shoot becomes the new leader and, will eventually become the trunk.
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- The holes are about 14 to 16 inches deep. Planting a tree too deep can kill it. “Bare to the flare” is the rule of thumb. Look for the root collar or root flare – the bulge just above the root system where the roots begin to branch away from the trunk. The root flare should be just above the soil surface once planted.
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- Chhiring and Pasang carefully remove the tree from its container. We always save our pots after a transplanting project is completed. These pots will come in very handy for planting the next set of trees.
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- And then Chhiring loosens the roots and scarifies the root ball. This stimulates new growth and promotes good aeration as it gets established.
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- Chhiring looks at the positioning of the tree carefully to make sure it is straight. When selecting trees, always check for signs of injury from disease or trunk damage from mishandling. All these trees are in excellent, excellent condition.
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- Chhiring also makes sure the espaliered branches match up from tree to tree, so they all grow uniformly.
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- Meanwhile, Pasang starts to dig the next hole. Once the first tree is planted, it is easy for the crew to work in an efficient assembly line fashion.
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- Once each tree is in the hole, Chhiring takes another look to be sure the tree is aligned and that the front of the tree is facing forward. It’s the small details that can make all the difference.
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- One by one, each tree is carefully placed into its assigned space.
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- These trees are not backfilled just yet. Because this is an espalier, Chhiring waits to ensure they all look perfectly aligned before any hole is completely filled with soil.
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- Here, Chhiring decides to switch two of the trees.
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- Chhiring is excellent at positioning these specimens so everything is equally spaced and perfectly straight. He uses twine secured from one end to the other to make sure all the trees are positioned properly.
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- Held taut, Chhiring can see if all the trees are in the right spots.
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- He measures each one from the cobblestone edge to be absolutely sure. Each tree should be two feet from the edge of the lawn.
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- And then Chhiring and Pasang measure the distance between the trees.
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- Next, a generous amount of fertilizer is sprinkled on the existing soil of the tree and into the hole around the tree.
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- We use M-Roots with mycorrhizal fungi, which helps transplant survival and increases water and nutrient absorption.
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- Now it’s time to backfill all the holes.
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- Chiiring backfills the root balls. Here, it is easy to see where the root collar of the tree begins.
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- Chhiring gently steps around the root ball and soil to ensure there aren’t any air pockets.
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- After all the trees are planted, I give them each a good drink. I prefer to water first before placing each specimen into the hole – its the roots that need the moisture. Watering after they’re planted can also be done – just be sure to water thoroughly. This was also an especially humid day at the farm, so watering is very important for these newly transplanted trees.
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- A newly planted tree needs regular watering during its first year or two. Once established, it can tolerate dry spells but should be given extra water during periods of drought. The trees look so beautiful in this area. I can’t wait to taste the fruits.
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- As we do with all the trees planted at the farm, the tree pits are top-dressed with mulch. The espalier technique can be done in several ways to produce different forms. The simplest is this horizontal cordon. The next step is to install granite upright supports and wire to continue guiding the tree branches as they grow. I will show you how the posts were done in my next blog – stay tuned.
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