en cordon

16:27 Feb 23, 2021 

Yes, sorry, you're quite right. I didn't read the caption properly and notice they were poplars rather than apples.

15:51 Feb 23, 2021 

Yes, my first thought was cordon trained apple trees, however, in my last reference the trees are just grown in a line and are untrained ("Ce cordon de peupliers noirs a réussi à s’installer sur la subtile crête (relative) de cette grève"). Larousse describes cordon as "Ligne formée par une suite d'objets, de personnes : Un cordon de peupliers, d'agents de police" as well as "Arbre fruitier ou vigne taillé à faible hauteur, avec une seule branche charpentière". My point being that if it was not fruit trees, I don't think there would be any confusion as other trees aren't normally trained this way. If, for example, it was poplars, then we would think of them more as being planted in a line cordoning off the river rather than being trained in cordons.

15:45 Feb 23, 2021 

I remember seeing some cordon (and espalier) trained fruit trees planted as hedging along the banks of a stream, but on the opposite side of the path to the water, many years ago. I've no idea whether they survived or not.

15:28 Feb 23, 2021 

I see what you're saying, but the trees in your second picture are still cordon grown. They've been pruned so that they can be planted close together as a hedge. It doesn't just mean "line".

15:14 Feb 23, 2021 

It depends. If you are talking about 'pommiers en cordon' then usually it refers to the way the trees have been trained - see https://www.gammvert.fr/2-1212-plantes-dexterieur/2-1387-arb... and https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=87.

However, it's a bit unusual for apple trees to be grown in cordons like this along a river and not in a garden or orchard. It may be that the reference here is to the trees being grown in a cordon ie a line as the trees in this link (4th photo down) https://www.zoom-nature.fr/leur-vie-nest-pas-un-long-fleuve-... I suppose it could be both or either. Have you any other info?

15:12 Feb 23, 2021 

Planting cordon fruit trees

Plant the trees 60 cm apart after having made sure that the soil does not lay wet during the winter or summer months. If drainage is faulty, the trees will suffer badly from tree canker. As a result, the life of the tree is short and the fruit will have a short shelf life. It is also essential that the soil is well prepared in advance, during September and October, while the soil is still warm and friable. Dig over, for each tree, an area of at least 60 x 60 cm. Before you add the essential organic matter such as well rotted farmyard manure to the soil, make sure that the subsoil is well loosened with a rigid tine fork, so that water can always drain away quickly. Tree roots need lots of oxygen and where water is standing around the roots, oxygen is not available. The trees literally suffocate, if this is not corrected!
https://realenglishfruit.co.uk/how-to-train-fruit-trees/#cor...