Train a Pomegranate Tree with an Espalier

A Pomegranate tree will make a welcome addition to any garden and growing them is relatively easy as they do not need much water or fertilizer. However, if your garden is a little on the small side, you might want to consider growing your pomegranate tree with an espalier. 

What is an Espalier?

An espalier is a French word derived from the Italian spalliera, which means ‘something to rest the shoulder against’. In gardening terms it is often used to describe the process of controlling the growth of a plant against a wall or trellis. An espalier works well with many plants, shrubs and fruit trees including pomegranate trees. 

It is possible to purchase a fruit tree from a garden center that has already been trained as an espalier, but these trees can be costly and the espalier process can be achieved with very little difficulty on a young untrained tree as well. Espalier is an intensive pruning process which is time consuming and can take several years to complete. 

Tools for Espalier trees

Before you start to train your pomegranate tree you will need to ensure that you have some vital tools. These include a trellis, which will need to be mounted onto your garden wall, and some soft string which will be used to tie the branches to the trellis. It would also be a good idea to have a pruning knife or a pair of garden scissors available as these will be used to prune your fruit tree once it is in place. 

Planting

If you are planning to purchase a pomegranate tree that has not been espalier-trained, make sure that it is less than a year old as training a tree over this age is much harder because the shoots are less flexible. 

When you plant your young pomegranate tree it should be at least 8” away from the fence or garden wall as this will give it the necessary amount of room to grow. The wall or fence will need to be facing south or east to ensure maximum exposure from the sun. Tie the pomegranate tree loosely to the trellis and carefully bend the other branches into their desired location. Remove any unwanted branches. 

Pruning

Pruning your growing pomegranate is vital for an espalier. Pruning a pomegranate tree will shape it into your preferred espalier design. There are four different types:

• hedge
• cordon
• palmetto
• informal

Pomegranate trees work best with an informal design because this particular form requires less pruning. 

The optimum time for pruning is in the spring when the shoots are dormant. Remove all flower buds in the pomegranate’s initial period of growth as this will allow it to reach its desired height quickly. Remove any branches that are not part of the design and also remove any young fruit in the first couple of years as this will provide the tree with more energy for development later.