Column fruit trees are a new trend that appears not only in our gardens, but also on balconies. They are dwarf fruit trees that yield the same abundant but slightly different appearance. They grow to a height of 2-3 meters, and their circumference is about 80 cm. Therefore, they are an ideal solution for small areas in gardens, as well as for the previously mentioned balconies or terraces. They can be grown in pots on closed surfaces, because by properly pruning and caring for them, you will grow a fruit tree of the right size and fit in the desired area, giving you tasty and good-looking fruit.In the gardens we can plant them already at a distance of one meter, which will allow us to increase their number and fill the surface with useful varieties.
Columnar fruit trees - varieties
Varieties we have several columnar fruit trees. Starting with apple trees, ending with plums. Columnar apple trees are characterized by a compact and narrow crown and fruit growing on short vertical twigs. The most popular columnar apple trees are the Mezo, Polka, Flamenco, Bolero varieties. Cherries look like apple trees, where the fruit grows on upright shoots. The leading varieties include Victoria, Silva, Queen Mary and Star Gold. Columnar pears grow slightly differently than previous species. They bear fruit on long shoots, that is, long branches that look almost at right angles. The most popular columnar pear varieties are Decora and Saphira. Plums, like pears, bear fruit on long shoots. The most famous varieties are Imperial and Fruca.Among the columnar plants you can also find unique varieties, such as Miracose plum-apricot.
Columnar fruit trees - cultivation
Column fruit trees should be planted in a sunny place. This is good for the quality of the fruit. In a sunny place, they will be ripe and juicy. When planting trees, it is worth mixing the fertile soil with compost. In this way, we enrich the soil with minerals and improve its structure. It is worth fertilizing the tree columnar cuttings in spring, because watering the substrate sterilizes the soil from the nutrients needed for growth. These trees usually bear fruit in the second year after planting them in the ground. Columnar trees for the garden are self-pollinating.
How to prune columnar trees?
Columnar fruit trees do not require special pruning. This is due to the fact that they do not grow to large sizes, and their branches grow back from the trunk as shoots directed upwards or long shoots hanging downwards. Unlike other varieties of fruit trees, you do not need to shape their crowns, and pruning does not support their excessive growth.Of course, you can, like any fruit tree, trim branches that have been damaged, are frozen, and those that have dry tips. Corrective cuts also have little effect on branch growth. A very important procedure supporting the proper growth of dwarf fruit trees is bending the shoots that grow out of the guide diagonally upwards. All shoots should grow at an almost right angle. To bend them, you can use the most ordinary clamps, the same as those used for washing. In addition, it is worth taking care of thinning out the fruit buds. Columnar trees can bloom profusely, but cannot feed that much afterwards. This will make the fruit smaller, but the fruit left alone will be more plump and tastier.
