Bill,

My stepover which are VDB are still napping.......in fact I need to prune them down to two nodes and tie them down in to position.  Too many projects too little time.  

Quite alright. I understand about the whole 'too many projects' thing. 

I just wasn't sure if things had warmed up enough yet down your way. Maybe a little later you can share an update - once things start shooting up again (as well as once you get caught up a little ;).

Bill,

Some of the figs are leafing out but the VDB lost it's leaves really late.  

An update....I still think I have my verticals too close together.  

Great looking Espalier project.

I hope that you are at a good distance away from the foundation.

Pruning and training them in the first few years probably comes at the expense of losing fruit, but the end justifies the means.

It should be be relatively easy to throw a birds' net over this elongated shrub in order to protect your fruit.

Best of Luck.

WillsC,
Thanks for posting the updated pics.
The in-ground trees in NYC have not even budded out as yet.
Who was your source for the VBDs used in the Espalier? Just curious... Thanks.

Dom. NYPD3527? or whatever the numbers are. Because I had so many there must have been a second source as well though who escapes me.

Sas,

I'm not worried about the foundation, wrong kind of fig to cause that sort of problem plus the roots grow in proportion to the tops and using this style of growing the top never gets huge as it is pruned away each year.  They will fruit this year I am sure.  

Hi Willsc,
I don't see the stakes to prevent the softy stems to split or fall from the trunk . Are you planning to add some or you'll take the chance and leave the stems like that ?

Jdsfrance,


There will be posts and a cable or two to secure the uprights to......just have not got too it yet but it is on the to do list.  

Hey Will. 

Looks like they're off to a good start. It's always nice to see that first growth of the season :) .

Are you planning to train the uprights as a single row or are you planning to lean them outward into that sort-of-a "V" configuration? I imagine you could get away with the shoots being a bit closer together in the latter config.

I have 4 trees in the ground, so far, that I'm working on growing in a quasi step-over fashion. Have plans to do a bunch more. All contingent on how much time and effort I want to put into it in one season.

Thanks for posting the pics. 

A great project Will. Thanks for sharing all the pictures.

Norhayati

Saxon,

They will be the V.  If you look at the picture I posted today you will see bricks and wood in the photo......those were used as weights to bend the shoots parallel but angled from the horizontal trunk.  They are still tied to it but seem to have embraced the new position.not that they had much choice.  As the shoots grow vertical the weight should hold them.  I figure I have about 3 weeks before I need the cables and posts installed or I could risk breakage.   

Ah yes. Upon closer inspection of the picture, I see now. Sounds like you have a plan firmly in mind. Look forward to seeing how it pans out for you this summer. Thanks.

I am rather curious about that as well:)   If we get a hurricane or a bad tropical storm I know they will get beat up.  I am fairly sure the uprights will hit 5'.  They were about the last fig to wake up but since them have grown quite well.  

Any chance for a mid-summer update on this? Thanks!

Tim,

I did an update just a couple weeks back, here is the link.

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/an-overdue-step-over-update-6981430?pid=1283586951#post1283586951