Thanks again for a great insightful and helpful post.
We are still establishing our fruit tree garden . When l was still ambulatory l planted a peach, fig, pomegranate , apricot and two blood plums. Another peach grew from a seed. . Now l am in a wheelchair we plan to keep the 2 peaches, fig and pomegranate small( so l can manage them). The orchard trees along our long back fence we are espaliering. We pulled the non performing massive apricot (15 apricots its top crop!!) and will replace it. The root system was intensive and massive, it had only been in 6 years. They even went into the neighbours yard .
We already had 2 blood plums and last year planted an orange, lemon and 2 apples trees. All this forms the espalier system .At the end of the espalier system l planted a mulberry last year
Can a mulberry be espaliered?
What apricot would you recommend for outer northern suburbs of Melbourne, clay soil with gypsum and compost mixed in
We know we should have done the espalier system first but the fellow building for us it got sick and it’s only just been built. I had bought the bare rooted trees in anticipation… so l got hubby to plant them .
So with Strawberries and blueberries l look forward to living mostly on our own fruit.
That sounds like quite the orchard you are establishing. Well done.
Yes, in theory, a Mulberry can be espaliered. You'll need to use an informal fan shape and it will need training and pruning around four times per year to keep it in check. The good news is that each time that you prune it should promote a new crop of fruit. The bad news is that Mulberries have very invasive roots and grow into monsters. I'll be sharing my thoughts on Mulberries next month.
Most of the apricots should do well in your garden, although you will need to ensure good drainage and airflow. Flavour preference should be your guide for what variety you plant. My favourite is Divinity. But taste is so subjective.
Thanks again for a great insightful and helpful post.
We are still establishing our fruit tree garden . When l was still ambulatory l planted a peach, fig, pomegranate , apricot and two blood plums. Another peach grew from a seed. . Now l am in a wheelchair we plan to keep the 2 peaches, fig and pomegranate small( so l can manage them). The orchard trees along our long back fence we are espaliering. We pulled the non performing massive apricot (15 apricots its top crop!!) and will replace it. The root system was intensive and massive, it had only been in 6 years. They even went into the neighbours yard .
We already had 2 blood plums and last year planted an orange, lemon and 2 apples trees. All this forms the espalier system .At the end of the espalier system l planted a mulberry last year
Can a mulberry be espaliered?
What apricot would you recommend for outer northern suburbs of Melbourne, clay soil with gypsum and compost mixed in
We know we should have done the espalier system first but the fellow building for us it got sick and it’s only just been built. I had bought the bare rooted trees in anticipation… so l got hubby to plant them .
So with Strawberries and blueberries l look forward to living mostly on our own fruit.
Hi Nola,
That sounds like quite the orchard you are establishing. Well done.
Yes, in theory, a Mulberry can be espaliered. You'll need to use an informal fan shape and it will need training and pruning around four times per year to keep it in check. The good news is that each time that you prune it should promote a new crop of fruit. The bad news is that Mulberries have very invasive roots and grow into monsters. I'll be sharing my thoughts on Mulberries next month.
Most of the apricots should do well in your garden, although you will need to ensure good drainage and airflow. Flavour preference should be your guide for what variety you plant. My favourite is Divinity. But taste is so subjective.
Good luck and happy gardening
Duncan