I have thought seriously about doing just that. It would make getting them in the greenhouse, sooo much easier. I have a Bacon Avocado that I am in the process of espaliering, right now, along with a plum and a nectarine. All are in containers, and the plum and nectarine have wooden frames. Since they are small right now the frame is only about four feet wide by four feet high. But the Avocado is sort of free form which works for it, since it doesn't have a central leader, due to the way it was grafted. I have seen internet photos of espaliered citrus, so it is possible, but the fruit yield would be lower, I would think?

I've done a few outdoors. i'm doing a pear against a fence outdoors now. I think its probably a big pain to try to do indoors/and move out just as a practical matter. Something like a kumquat or a calmaondin might be easier than a full fruited tree.

Bob, this spring I will try to get a photo of the avocado. It has been good that it is slim, it goes right next to the wall of the greenhouse. No wider than the pot it is in. It is blooming right now. I need to get a pollinator for it. The plum and nectarine are smaller, not much to see right now but sticks. Lol. No leaves this time of year. My greenhouse is packed, (too much so), to the point it's hard to tell one plant from the other.

The Meyer lemon adapts very well to espalier

My outside NZL must stay within a greenhouse that can only be assemble to a depth of 30 inches. It will be 14 feet wide by 10 feet tall next winter so I trim and bend limbs accordingly. The tree responds very nicely. 39 fruits this year ranging from the size of a cutie/halo mandarins to that of a semi large naval orange.

My smallest lemon with 2 of 15 largest lemons next to 2 larger than average, but not huge, naval oranges

Steve

I'm sure it can be done -- at the expense of a larger harvest of fruit, of course. But if you're more concerned about space and aesthetics than quantity of fruit, go for it! I think you'd be most successful if you grow your plants in high-light situations.

That is a bit too ambitious for me Bob, but I have no doubt you can pull it off!

Bob, This is the espalier avocado. Just re-potted it today. Hope you can make it out in the photos. It is about two feet across, with about a five foot span limb to limb tips, but only four or five feet tall, pot and all. And yes, it is blooming like crazy.

RNG, amazing!! That is an excellent looking tree, like to see a picture with a bunch avocados hanging. Interesting read!

Thanks Bob. It looks better than I figured it would, after a winter inside.