Yesterday I brought home 2 espalier trees. I’ve always wanted to plant a few but never really had the right spot. Or so I thought. The sunniest spot in our backyard garden is where we have the 16 raised garden boxes.
So later today I plan on digging a few holes and planting these beauties {1 pear & 1 apple} along side the house where they will get lot’s of sunshine.
I highly doubt we will get any fruit this season, but they will look cool in the years to come once they get established. I’m excited.
In between spreading bark, I planted a raised wood pallet with some endive starts. Pretty soon I’ll also be planting spinach and a couple of other things for my wood pallet salad garden.
More kale seedlings were set out as well. The chickens think I am torturing them.
Monkey Boy and I were able to finish bark bombing the main backyard area. I was going to carve out another garden plot but he was wheeling the bark back so fast I didn’t have time.
Which is fine really, because it just gives me a little more time to stare at it with my sunglasses and try and figure out where the 15x 20 plot should go. I’ll keep you posted.
Since there is still about 5 – 7 yards of bark left, today Monkey Boy and I are going to try and get the side yard completed. I need to get a few weeds pulled over there first, but hopefully between the two of us, we should be able to get it done.
High Ho, High Ho, it’s off to work I go.
Have a great Saturday, and stay out of trouble.
~Mavis
Carol says
Mavis, your garden is looking fantastic! One question, about the pallets you use to plant…how do you keep the soil from coming out the open ends? Do they have slats inside that I can’t see? Curious Carol wants to know!
Thanks for your posts and photos!
D'Anna says
She had a tutorial last Summer, I think landscape fabric staple gunned to cover the bottom slats is what keeps the dirt in. I thinks it’s a nifty idea, have access to tons of pallets at work but have never tried it.
Carol says
Me, too!
Mavis says
The sides are currently open, but I plan to place a board or landscape fabric on the sides to hold in the dirt.
Carol says
Thank you, Mavis!
Penelope says
I bought myself a red D’Anjou pear to espalier last week. It is super hard to find some started around here and they are very expensive. I’m not quite sure which design I’m doing just yet. I still have to plan the bed it will go in. I’m putting a couple hazelnuts in it as well and there is snow in part of it. I just couldn’t wait any longer. We should be able to till the garden next weekend. But anything on the north side, or that gets shade from a fence is still frozen.
I love espalier and this is my first attempt. I’m excited to see how yours turns out in the long run.
Carol says
Hi Mavis,
Things are looking good. I’m wondering if your apple and pear have at least two varieties grafted on the root stock. (Apples and pears are not self fertile, so they need another tree or graft that blossoms at the same time.) If so, I would love to know where you found them. I enjoy reading about your progress. Thanks for all the info.
Mavis says
Yes they do. I think the pear might even have 5 different kinds of pears! I found mine at the Garden Sphere in Tacoma. 🙂
Carol says
Thanks–great idea for my limited space!
Carol says
Thanks so much for the info. Will check it out at the end of the month when I head down south.
Erin M says
Mavis I LOVE how the garden is coming along. I am using bark mulch too so it is wonderful to see how it’s going to look with much more of it around. I have a super small yard, .15 acre, and I abhor lawn. Can’t eat it!! I am going to add a could of small raised beds around my fig and apple in the front yard. You are an inspiration to me. I enjoy your blog more than I can say. Read you every day!!
Mavis says
Thanks Erin. Add the raised beds. They will be great, no matter the size. 🙂
Dana says
Hi..just wondering your final count on bark yardage??
Mavis says
30 yards! 🙂 🙂 🙂