Anyone Do Fruit Trees in Pots, and/or "Cordoning", "Espaliers", etc

Off Topic
#1

Just doing some dreaming and reading, wondering if I could make something like this work (knowing full-well I probably cannot, but considering trying anyway…)
Firstly, anyone do “container” fruit trees? I wonder how big of a container does one need for, say, an apple tree to bear fruit?
Secondly, can you keep one happy and fruiting in a container of that size?

Thirdly, does one need to be concerned about freezing when the rootball is more exposed to temperature extremes by being in a container?

And finally, anyone try “cordon” or “espaliers”?
They look fascinating, whether functional or not…
This one depicts “the s method” that appears especially intriguing to me…


Bonus: 4-in-1 apple tree


self-pollinating, various harvest times…
Thank you for reading. Love your thoughts!

#2

No, maybe one day. I’ve always wanted my own nectarine tree, and I’m told you can grow them in pots, but I don’t have a good spot for it to spend the winter.

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#3

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Not an espaliered tree. Jasmine trained into an X. I forget the official name of the shape. Have wanted to try flowering quince on the sunnier part of the fence.

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#4

if I’m reading things properly, we’re in USDA Cold Hardiness Zone 8a, and nectarines, being “cold hardy” in zones 6-8, should be okay to overwinter without precautions most years in these parts…
I know we have orchards in the more rural areas of similar latitude, out toward Tyler, Longview, etc. and peaches do very well, too.
Of course, I don’t know if the container changes things at all…

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#6

This is “Off Topic”, right?

There is a mulberry tree at the church I used to belong to. I always wanted to find a new one growing next to it to plant in my yard, but never found one.

I guess Jesus thought I needed one, because one started in my yard, at a pretty good spot for one, without me doing anything!

The past four days my wife and I have eaten over 100 mulberries each from it!

Off-topic-er yet: Why do the songs refer to mulberry bush when it is clearly a tree?

Can you think of BOTH mulberry bush songs? Spoiler alert; answers follow. (My wife Dorcas came up with that quiz.)

“Here we go round the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush. Here we go round the mulberry bush, so early in the morning.”

“All a round the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the weasel. The monkey thought was all in fun. Pop goes the weasel.”

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#7

What I’ve heard is it is refering to the symbol that pawn shops use:
image

Which is actually a symbol associated with the Medcini family in Florence

Around and around the Mulberry bush referring to people trapped in pawning and paying interest, in and out of pawn. monkey and weasel the the people involved with the pawn. Pop goes the weasel - loan due can’t be paid.
https://www.google.com/search?q=pop+goees+the+weasel&source=lmns&client=firefox-b-1-d&hl=en&ved=2ahUKEwiyodn_5pnpAhUJOKwKHUxAA_4Q_AUoAHoECAEQAA

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#8

Not my personal experience but I found this master gardener article informative.

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#9

“roll them into the garage” is a popular bit of advice.
That will NOT be happening with trees large enough to bear fruit. Anything bigger than 1 gal will not be where my car goes to not have to be de-iced in the winter. Although I’ve considered a garden shed for such activities… That’s a whole 'nuther can o’worms…

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#10

I grow nectarines, peaches, plums, apples and pears on a farm in Oklahoma without any trouble. If they survive the first winter you’re good. Trouble it getting fruit off them, too wet, too dry has been a problem recently. The other is bugs, you can use pesticides but I prefer not to put anything on the fruits. Use to use mothball flakes around the base of the tree to keeps the worms out, but they are getting hard to find…

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#11

Are all of yours in the ground?

#12

yes. all of my trees are over 15 years old a few of the apple and pear trees are over 30

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#14

I would not recommend waiting like I did.

Do you think one would grow from a green stick in a jar of water?

I nailed a 2X2 across a Y of two branches so I could get higher in the tree.

I would also recommend fig trees. They grow great in this neck of the woods.

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#15

That was really interesting, thanks!

You know about “Ring Around the Rosie” referring to the plague, right?

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#16

Hmm, I seem to remember reading that while peach and nectarine trees in the ground overwinter ok, they don’t do as well in pots. I’ve been waiting until we can get a greenhouse (permit issues, not a good spot for one) before I tried one.

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#17

That’s always been my understanding

#18

This writeup mentions concern about heat on the pot in the sun… can’t say I’d thought of that. And it doesn’t really address whether or not we need to be more concerned about freezing with potted trees than with ground-growers…

#19
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#20

Just planted this guy a couple of weeks ago.

The chicken wire is because on day 3 in the planter, mr squirrel started digging it all up!

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#21

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Curious to follow your progress… :+1:
(PS I was floored by how small citrus trees are when they bear fruit, based on those in my relatives’ yard in FL…the grapefruit was bigger than the “tree”! I have no idea what variety they were, though…)