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Step-over Apples
by Bob Magnus | © 2006 Woodbridge Fruit Trees | www.woodbridgefruittrees.com.au
Stepover growing in France
What are step-overs? It’s not a very gracious name for an extremely dwarf apple plant that is grown typically as a fruitful hedge or border to an ornamental vegetable garden, a potager garden. Their success is totally dependant on growing them on an extremely dwarfing rootstock. If this tree is left to grow to it’s full size it may reach to your chest of even shoulder, however it was never intended to be grown as a 'tree' but rather as a small espalier or cordon. I’ve written a comprehensive article about espaliers - the KNNN method, which can be found in the articles section.
Well, these step-overs are simply the K (knee) or bottom wire of the usual 4 wire system. These baby trees are extremely precocious; so much that if well grown you’ll get fruit by the second year. They have a tendency to be so precocious in fact so as to turn all the growth into fruiting spurs and virtually stop growing, so in turn you have to treat them very well - plenty of mulch, no skimping with summer watering. Its even a good idea to grow lettuces, beetroot, parsley or other low growing and quick maturing veggies between them. The high fertility and moisture requirement of the vegetables helps the apples grow. They are extremely ornamental when fruiting and also in winter, bare of leaves.
The trees we sell are single whips i.e. one straight rod one year old and about 1m tall.
The Method
As in espalier (KNNN) grown trees, there is absolutely minimal pruning. Each tree is planted at an angle of 45 degrees - 1 to 1.5 metres apart on one wire stretched at knee height (step-over height).
In ensuing years the only pruning (in late January - February) is removing the upward growing annual growth. The growing tip is tied down onto the wire.
The upright stubs quickly convert into fruiting spurs and the tips finally overgrow the next tree and it becomes a dense fruiting hedge.
At present we’re growing later maturing varieties and fruit that is highly coloured for ornamental effect - they hang on longer well into Autumn. The fruit grow to normal size and flavour.
by Bob Magnus | © 2006 Woodbridge Fruit Trees | www.woodbridgefruittrees.com.au
Stepover growing in France
What are step-overs? It’s not a very gracious name for an extremely dwarf apple plant that is grown typically as a fruitful hedge or border to an ornamental vegetable garden, a potager garden. Their success is totally dependant on growing them on an extremely dwarfing rootstock. If this tree is left to grow to it’s full size it may reach to your chest of even shoulder, however it was never intended to be grown as a 'tree' but rather as a small espalier or cordon. I’ve written a comprehensive article about espaliers - the KNNN method, which can be found in the articles section.
Well, these step-overs are simply the K (knee) or bottom wire of the usual 4 wire system. These baby trees are extremely precocious; so much that if well grown you’ll get fruit by the second year. They have a tendency to be so precocious in fact so as to turn all the growth into fruiting spurs and virtually stop growing, so in turn you have to treat them very well - plenty of mulch, no skimping with summer watering. Its even a good idea to grow lettuces, beetroot, parsley or other low growing and quick maturing veggies between them. The high fertility and moisture requirement of the vegetables helps the apples grow. They are extremely ornamental when fruiting and also in winter, bare of leaves.
The trees we sell are single whips i.e. one straight rod one year old and about 1m tall.
The Method
As in espalier (KNNN) grown trees, there is absolutely minimal pruning. Each tree is planted at an angle of 45 degrees - 1 to 1.5 metres apart on one wire stretched at knee height (step-over height).
In ensuing years the only pruning (in late January - February) is removing the upward growing annual growth. The growing tip is tied down onto the wire.
The upright stubs quickly convert into fruiting spurs and the tips finally overgrow the next tree and it becomes a dense fruiting hedge.
At present we’re growing later maturing varieties and fruit that is highly coloured for ornamental effect - they hang on longer well into Autumn. The fruit grow to normal size and flavour.
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