Does anyone have any advice. I want to run this by dh but not if all you "real" gardeners think it is too much for or not possible for a newbie.

Kahlanne,

Your question is rather novel (blueberries and pomegranates espalied together is something I've never heard of before), plus your question has only been up for two days -- I think that is why you haven't gotten any responses so far. So don't be discouraged!

I'll try to take a stab at it. (However, I must disclose that I've never actually practiced the espalier-form myself.)

As far as setting up an espalier-planting, I think that you would certainly be able to do it yourself. Just follow the directions available via educational web-pages and/or gardening books. Like grafting, my sense is that this is a horticultural practice that many think will be very difficult -- but, also like grafting, I suspect that anyone who can follow a few simple steps can succeed with it.

An espalier *would* require long-term shaping and maintenance, and so it is obviously not something that you could just set up one spring and then forget about.

Now, as for the specific plants that you are interested in:

Pomegranates are deciduous. Blueberries are generally deciduous; however, there are some evergreen forms (e.g. "Misty") that might succeed in your location.

I have to say, though, that I don't quite understand how blueberries could be espalied. Blueberries are generally pruned by removing old, depleted stems and allowing fresh new shoots to grow up from the base of the plant. So, under best management, none of the growth in a blueberry bush will be permanent.

But in order to make an espalier, a permanent framework must be established -- so I really don't see how blueberries would make an acceptable subject. Crops like apples are trained to form permanent "scaffold" limbs, so they are much more suitable. (Maybe I'm missing something here ... anyone who knows better, please say so!)

Pomegranates probably would make a suitable subject -- it would be possible to establish a permanent framework with this species, and the limbs themselves are actually quite flexible and so could be easily bent and trained.

You would first have to determine whether pomegranates can crop successfully in Louisiana. Pomegranates are a classic Mediterranean-climate fruit, and I don't know whether there would be problems with the high levels of humidity in your region. But they might grow wonderfully for you, for all I know.

As for evergreen plants: Sure, I don't see why you couldn't interweave some evergeen plants into your espalier, if you so desired.

I gotta chime in here if to say nuthin' more than blueberries and pomegranates together just make my mouth water. Yeh, do it! And we were all noobs at one time or another.

Espalier is a more advanced fruit growing method but if you get some good directions and are careful you should be able to do it. I would say the book "Growing Fruit" is the best basic resource, it is a British book which gives all the basics of espalier. I agree with Ashok about the unsuitability of blueberries for espalier. Maybe for an experiment for an expert, but not when starting out. Blueberries can very easily be grown as a hedge which works well for privacy. Just plant them 2-3' apart. Apples and pomegranates can also be grown as hedges, thats how I grow my apples. I don't know much about Pomegranates but you are right around their northern range. They are more vigorous than blueberries so planting them together requires some skill to keep the bigger one from dominating -- I wouldn't try it as a beginner.

Scott