September 12, 2020

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.