{"id":64407,"key":"Fruit_tree_forms","title":"Fruit tree forms","latest":{"id":1208057,"timestamp":"2025-11-27T23:27:37Z"},"content_model":"wikitext","license":{"url":"https://www.appropedia.org/Appropedia:Copyrights","title":"CC-BY-SA-4.0"},"source":"[[File:fruittreeforms.png|thumb]]\n\nThe shapes of most [[fruit trees]] can be manipulated by pruning and training in order to\nincrease yield, or to improve their suitability for different situations and conditions.\nPruning a tree to a pyramid shape means that trees can be planted closer together. An\nopen bowl or cup form increases the penetration of sunlight, thus encouraging a high\nfruit yield whilst keeping the tree short and easy to pick from. Other shapes such as\ncordons, [[espalier]]s and fans offer opportunities for growing trees two dimensionally\nagainst walls or fences, or can themselves be trained as barriers.\n\n'''Bush trees''' are the traditional open goblet shaped form, with a clear lower stem.\n\n'''Cordons''' are single stemmed trees with fruiting spurs planted at an angle. Any side\nbranches are removed by pruning. cordons take less space and crop earlier than most\nother forms which means that more varieties can be got into a small space, but yields\nare smaller per tree.\n\n'''Espaliers''' have a central vertical trunk with three or four horizontal branches each side.\n\n'''Fans''' have a short central trunk with several radiating branches growing from the\ncrown.\n\n'''Step-over espaliers''' have single horizontal branches at 1' from the ground and make a\nnovel and productive border to the vegetable plot.\n\nAll of these shapes require training by tying the branches to the required form, and\npruning to retain the desired structure. This is usually carried out in autumn for major\ncutting back and late summer for light trimming. Autumn pruning encourages woody\ngrowth whilst late summer pruning encourages fruiting.\nNot all trees will accept all of the shapes above- apples and pears do well as cordons\nand espaliers for example, whereas cherries prefer to be fanned.\n\n== Yield and spacing ==\n\n{| class=\"wikitable\"\n! rowspan=2 | Apples and pears\n! colspan=2 | Yield\n! colspan=2 | Spacing\n|-\n! Apples\n! Pears\n! In rows\n! Rows apart\n|-\n| Bush\n| 25–50 kg\n| 20–45 kg\n| 4–5 m\n| 4–5 m\n|-\n| Dwarf bush\n| 15–25 kg\n| 10–20 kg\n| 2.5–5 m\n| 2.5–5 m\n|-\n| Dwarf pyramid\n| 5–7 kg\n| 3–5 kg\n| 1.5–2 m\n| 2 m\n|-\n| Espalier (two tier)\n| 10–12 kg\n| 7–10 kg\n| 3–6 m\n| 2 m\n|-\n| Fan\n| 5–15 kg\n| 5–15 kg\n| 4–5 m\n|-\n|-\n| Single cordon\n| 2–4 kg\n| 2–3 kg\n| 0.5–1 m\n| 2 m\n|-\n| Standard\n| 50–200 kg\n| 40–100 kg\n| 6–10 m\n| 6–10 m\n|}\n\n{| class=\"wikitable\"\n! rowspan=2 | Other tree fruits\n! rowspan=2 | Yield\n! colspan=2 | Spacing\n|-\n! In rows\n! Rows apart\n|-\n| Bush (sour cherry)\n| 15–20 kg\n| 4–5 m\n| 4–5 m\n|-\n| Bush (plum and peach)\n| 15–30 kg\n| 4–5 m\n| 4–5 m\n|-\n| Bush, standard (sweet cherry)\n| 15–50 kg\n| 5–12 m\n| 5–12 m\n|-\n| Fan (all stone fruits)\n| 7–15 kg\n| 4–5 m\n|-\n|-\n| Fan (sweet cherry)\n| 6–15 kg\n| 5-7.5 m\n|-\n|-\n| Pyramid (plum)\n| 15–25 kg\n| 3–4 m\n| 3–4 m\n|-\n| Standard (plum, peach and apricot)\n| 15–50 kg\n| 5-7.5 m\n| 5-7.5 m\n|}\n\n{{Page data\n| license = CC-BY-SA-3.0\n| ported-from = http://permaculture.wikia.com/wiki/Fruit_tree_forms\n| keywords = trees\n}}\n\n[[Category:Trees]]"}