Family Espalier Pear?
 

Hi All,
I've been looking for a while for a family pear tree grown in an espalier
form.
Does anyone know where I might be able to find such a thing? I would love to
grow an espalier pear on my south facing fence, but I just don't have space
for two - hence the family idea. There are no other pears near us, so I'd
need to have more than 1 compatible type or a family tree.
Any help appreciated,
Matthew

Matthew Durkin wrote:
I've been looking for a while for a family pear tree grown in an espalier
form.

Matthew,

I bought a family pear tree from Buckinghamn Nurseries about 3 years ago.
They may do one that is suitable for making into an espalier - you'd have
to ask.

My family tree has 3 varieties, Beth, Concord and one other - the name of
which escapes me.

HTH, Sarah

Matthew Durkin wrote:
: Hi All,
: I've been looking for a while for a family pear tree grown in an espalier
: form.

This would be complicated in all the ways I could envisage it being done -
hence it will be expensive.

I've done a "tiered" espalier apple. The lower 2 tiers are one variety,
the second 2 tiers are a second variety and next year I can add a 3rd
variety. This tree already 6 years old - yeah I know it doesn't add up but
I had a few problems.

The other method I could envisage is grafting each "arm" with a different
variety. In a 3 tiered espalier that would be 6 grafts and over quite a
number of years (3/4 as long as you were better at grafting than me :-).

Other more complicated shaping and grafting would be possible but equally
time consuming - hence expensive.

: Does anyone know where I might be able to find such a thing? I would love to
: grow an espalier pear on my south facing fence, but I just don't have space
: for two - hence the family idea. There are no other pears near us, so I'd
: need to have more than 1 compatible type or a family tree.
: Any help appreciated,
: Matthew

In message , Matthew Durkin
writes
Hi All,
I've been looking for a while for a family pear tree grown in an espalier
form.

It would be much cheaper to buy a small family pear tree and train it
yourself. If there are other pear trees nearby you don't need a family
tree just arrange swaps with your neighbours. Or borrow a branch from
someone else's tree at work during the flowering season.

I'd be inclined to go for Doyenne du Comice and graft a small amount of
something else on to act as a pollinator. Make 3 half decent grafts and
there is a good chance one of them will take.

Does anyone know where I might be able to find such a thing? I would love to
grow an espalier pear on my south facing fence, but I just don't have space
for two - hence the family idea. There are no other pears near us, so I'd
need to have more than 1 compatible type or a family tree.

Deacons Nursery, Isle of Wight definitely do family trees.
I don't know if they offer any pretrained to espalier.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown