Regular Oblique Cord
Synonyms
angled cordon , single angled cord, angled cord.
Description
Intermediate form of vertical cord and horizontal cord. The fruit tree has a single, oblique frame branch with the fruiting wood only on the top of the frame branch.
This espalier shape was often used in the past for espalier fruit.
An angled cord can be realized in various ways:
- Plant the tree diagonally and let it grow in a straight line at an angle.
- Plant the tree vertically and give it a ‘kink’ at a height of approx. 35 cm.
- Plant the tree vertically, cut it back to a height of 35 cm, and then tie a side shoot at an angle.
Images
Specific Applications
An angled cord used to be used for 2 purposes:
- Low walls
An angled cord was used along walls that were too low to accommodate an upright cord. An oblique cord must be able to grow at least 300 cm long. In practice, the height of the wall determined the angle at which the cord was guided. An angle of 45 ° is ideal for evenly distributing growth and fruiting over the frame branch, but this is not so critical. - Grape growing
Beveled cords of grapes could easily be loosened in winter and placed on the ground to protect them from frost.
Advice
Both the single and the double angled cord are easy to grow and maintain. Suitable for low walls (180-300 cm high) with espalier. An oblique cord is otherwise comparable to a vertical cord.
An angled cord is suitable for all types of fruit trees.
A “single angled cord” is better for espalier than a “double angled cord”. Only use the latter as an emergency solution, if a plant falls away in a row of a few angled cords.
