4 Tips For Growing An Espalier Tree On Your Chain Link Fence

Chain link wire is a tough fencing material that stays strong for years, but it's not going to win any yard beauty pageants. Dressing it up with some living plant material is an easy and rewarding way to put your green thumb to good use while hiding the dull gray fencing. If you've never tried the art of espalier before, use these four tips to get a fruiting or flowering tree growing on your fence.

Give the Tree Three Years

Espalier is a French art form designed to make the most of limited gardening space. Since you're trimming the trees so severely to form a decorative pattern with their branches, give new saplings at least three years of solid growth before making your cuts and wiring them to the fence. This gives them time to establish strong roots and limbs that won't break off when growing while restrained.

Don't Expect a Lot of Fruit

Trees grown this way primarily provide visual interest and an attractive cover for your chain link. If you're planning on feeding the neighborhood by planting a few apple trees on a fence line, think again. The heavy pruning and shaping causes even established plants to only put out a few apples each growing season.

Pick One Pattern Per Fence

Since you can arrange the branches of an espalier tree in an endless number of patterns, it's common to see gardeners mixing candelabra shapes with modern chevrons side by side. This creates a cluttered look and makes it harder to spot the outlines of each distinct shape. Limit yourself to a single pattern for each row of trees per fence side for a unified look as the leaves and branches fill in.

Start with Whips

When shopping for fruiting or flowering trees to cover your fence, look for whips. It's tempting to buy the biggest, most branch covered sapling you can find at a nursery. However, a tree with a straight growth and no major limbs or splitting of the trunk works better for this kind of gardening work. You can choose from a wide variety of trees, including:

• Any spur bearing apple variety; these create separate twigs for fruit
• All types of peaches
• Pears, including hybrid and Asian varieties
• Citrus fruit
• Flowering cherries and nut-producing almonds

Espalier takes patience, but eventually your chain link fence from a professional like Global Fence, Inc. will blend with the rest of your landscaping. Enjoy an occasional snack or bountiful spring blossoms to make your fence gardening project worth even more.