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Got some apple trees but no idea about which rootstock they're grafted onto. Does this matter since I want to train them as espaliers? Oh, and I want to do same for a pear tree. They're bare-rooted at the moment in my shed waiting to be planted.

You don't want a vigorous rootstock for espaliers. However, if you don't know what it is, it's unlikely to be vigorous, so go ahead and don't worry.

Quote from: spudcounter on February 23, 2010, 09:58:54
Got some apple trees but no idea about which rootstock they're grafted onto. Does this matter since I want to train them as espaliers? Oh, and I want to do same for a pear tree. They're bare-rooted at the moment in my shed waiting to be planted.

why not ask the person you purchased them from?

Cause I purchased them from Aldi recently and they don't appear to be labelled in terms of rootstock. The apples are Elstar and they're about 5ft high. I doubt the staff in the shop would know.

They are usually on a dwarfing rootstock, but you'll be pruning them anyway to keep them to shape. Just in case they are on something like M27, make sure they've got good drainage and plenty of food as this rootstock is pretty weak.

ajb

Spudcounter

I have Elstar from Aldi trained as an espalier.  It is pretty vigorous in terms of side shoots and amount of growth - I prune in Summer and Late Autumn/early winter - but I don't find it a problem.  It does produce BIG apples, which I tend to use as cookers.

If you take a look at my gallery you will find some pics of the espaliers