Espalier In the Making: Y2, The Old Mushroom Farm’s plum tree fence

A year has passed since we first introduced you to the art of espalier at The Old Mushroom Farm (See part 1 here). It is time to prune our young plum trees back again! The trees, planted to form a living, fruit-bearing privacy screen between the Boutique Apartments, have grown beautifully, and it's time to shape them to our espalier framework.

Nick Crooks, owner of The Old Mushroom Farm talks us through the espalier process, and demonstrates how to prune and train plum trees for an espalier fence. Follow along to see our espalier journey, and learn the art of espalier as we guide you through each step of the process.

This time last year we chopped the tree back to the first fence horizontal

It’s late winter, the trees are in their dormant period, and we’re back with secateurs (the big ones this time) to prune for the next espalier tier. Last year, in 2024, we chopped the young plum tree right back to a stump at the height of the first fence tier (pictured above left). Since then, the tree has sprouted vigorous fanning branches (pictured above right).

The thickest branch will be chosen to form the main vertical trunk, and two side branches will be bent to the right and left, forming the horizontal arms. The rest of the branches will be pruned away. The dry KZN Midlands winter offers perfect pruning conditions. We’ll seal the pruned ends to preserve moisture and prevent disease.

By cutting the vertical leader just below the height of the next fence tier, we’re setting the scene for another year of steady growth where we will repeat this process again next winter.

We’ve officially got tier one of our green, sculptural screens!

Our espalier fence is somewhat of a horticultural experiment—it’s Nick’s first attempt at it. We’re pleased to see that the steel trellis system has worked well, providing steady support for these whippy branches. And we’re thrilled to see just how well the trees have responded. We love how this espalier pruning has become a point to note in the calendar, and somewhat of a ritual with the seasonal rhythm. 

One tier a year seems like a long time to wait, but it's incredible how much growth these little trees put out in a year. We love Nick’s long-term vision driving this project. Let us know if you decide to create your own espalier!