Susan Poizner and the cover of her eBook Grow Fruit Trees That Thrive

FRUIT TREE CARE NEWSLETTER

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How to Weigh Down Fruit Tree Branches: The Best Fruit Tree Limb Spreaders & Tree Weights

Close up shot of a metal limb spreader on a pear tree pushing a side branch down so it is horizontal. Weighing down tree branches with limb spreaders and tree weights.

When I was new to growing fruit trees, I learned that horizontally-growing branches produce fruit faster than vertical branches that reach up towards the sky. So when I noticed that our young pear trees had lots of shoots that wanted to go up, I researched how to weigh down fruit tree branches.

I went online and ordered tree branch spreaders, hoping they would help me solve this problem. I ordered Leilin fruit branch spreaders which have a wide opening at one end that you set onto the trunk of the tree. At the other end, there is a hook so that you can capture an unruly vertical shoot and hook it down to prevent it from growing upwards.

How do fruit tree limb spreaders work? It all revolves around lignification, the process by which a tree develops and strengthens its woody tissue. Young tree shoots are tender and not lignified when they first emerge. But gradually the shoot grows and lignification begins, slowly making the branch woodier and less flexible as it matures.

Training Fruit Trees: The Best Limb Spreaders that Don't Damage Trees

So, when you’re using a limb spreader, you are training the soft young branches on your fruit trees by pulling them down into a 45-degree angle. The trained branch continues to grow and lignify. Once the branch is set in its new horizontal position (this may take only a few months), you remove the limb spreader and use it on another branch.

Well, that is what happens in theory anyways.

That was not my experience. I found these spreaders frustrating! Either they fell off of the tree, or they weren’t long enough to make any difference. Sure, they might stop the branch from going upwards where the spreader is attached, but once the branch gets longer than that, it may still try to grow vertically.

So what is the best way to train fruit tree branches so that they grow horizontally? There are various types of fruit tree limb spreaders on the market that you can try. And there are other, creative and inexpensive ways to weigh down branches. We will explore that and more in this article.

Let’s dig in!

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Why Train Fruit Tree Branches?  

So, why is it important to train fruit tree branches? Ron Perry, Professor Emeritus of Horticulture at Michigan State University and co-author of Espalier Fruit Plantings for Northern Gardens: Creating Fruit Trees as Art, joined my students and I in our live Zoom monthly meetup and he explained how weighing down fruit tree branches works.

According to Ron, many apple, pear, and European plum varieties naturally want to grow upward rather than outward.

“If these branches remain vertical they take longer to become reproductive. By slanting them to at least a 45-degree angle from the trunk, their growth slows down, and you’ll see fruiting spurs sooner.”

The problem with vertical branches isn't just that they take longer to become fruitful: they are also weaker than horizontally-growing branches. When a young branch grows upward close to the central trunk, it often creates a weak union called bark inclusion.

“Whenever an upright branch forms a narrow crotch with the trunk, bark inclusion occurs," Ron says. "This weakens the connection between the branch and the tree.”

On left: Close up of many vertical branches on a young fruit tree. If all of these are allowed to grow upwards, you will have bark inclusion and weakly attached branches. On right wider shot of the same tree. Weighing down tree branches with limb spreaders and tree weights.
On left: Close up of many vertical branches on a young fruit tree. If all of these are allowed to grow upwards, you will have bark inclusion and weakly attached branches. On right wider shot of the same tree. Photo credit: Suzanne Moncion.
Examples of bark inclusion...on left is a mature tree where a branch grew too close to the stem. This causes a weak attachment and bark inclusion and the branch can easily break. On the right is a photo of a tree with three trunks side by side. This can easily result in bark inclusion. Weighing down tree branches with limb spreaders and tree weights.
Examples of what can happen if vertical branches are allowed to continue to grow upwards! These branches that have a "narrow crotch with the trunk" may form a weak union and break more easily due to bark inclusion. Photo credits: OrchardPeople.com.

As it turns out, bark inclusion causes weakness because the tight crotch squishes up some of the tree's vascular (phloem) tissue and causes it to die.

But are fruit tree limb spreaders really the solution? Or could weighing down branches in this manner worsen your tree’s issues? Let’s explore that next.

Can Limb Spreaders Damage Branches?

The issue is that some limb spreaders can cause more harm than good. Suzanne, an Orchard People student, bought metal tree branch spreaders for her Anjou pear tree grafted onto M26 dwarfing Apple rootstock.

While the spreaders came in various lengths, she found the longer ones more useful. The shorter ones temporarily corrected branch orientation, only to have the branch resume its upward growth after the spreader straightened part of it. Suzanne felt these spreaders weren’t very effective and worse, in some cases, they dug into the bark, creating wounds that could serve as entry points for pests and diseases.

A metal fruit tree limb spreader can damage tree branches, leaving an open wound that will make the tree vulnerable to pests and diseases. Removing the spreader after the tree lignifies can sometimes prevent this problem. Photo credit: Suzanne Moncion.

That can easily happen, says Ron. Commercial growers will use limb spreaders for apple and pear trees but avoid using limb spreaders on stone fruit trees (like peaches, apricots, and sweet cherries) because they are so vulnerable to bacterial canker which can easily get into an open tree wound.

Goopy bacterial canker oozes out of the trunk of a mature sweet cherry tree. This pathogen can easily get into a wound caused by a fruit tree limb spreader. Weighing down tree branches with limb spreaders and tree weights.
A mature cherry tree with bacterial canker. This disease can easily get into a wound caused by a fruit tree branch spreader so spreaders are not recommended for use on stone fruit trees. Photo credit: OrchardPeople.com.

Saying that, there are many types of tree limb spreaders you can experiment with. But you can also save your money and try some of the following easy and inexpensive ways to weigh down fruit tree branches. Let’s discuss those next.

Safe and Effective Ways to Train Fruit Tree Branches

Essentially, the goal is to weigh down young tree shoots to a 45-degree angle without damaging their bark. Here are some creative ideas:

Clothes Pins: Identify the young shoot you want to train and clip a wooden clothes pin onto the central stem just above the shoot to train it to grow horizontally.

Clothes pins are clipped onto the main stem of a young fruit tree to help guide the young shoot emerging below it to grow in a horizontal orientation. Weighing down tree branches with limb spreaders and tree weights.
Clothes pins clipped onto the central stem of a young fruit tree to guide the young shoot below it to grow horizontally. Photo credit: Ron Perry.

Ropes and Tent Pegs or Weights: Use rope secured to the ground with tent pegs, or tie it to a DIY weight like a concrete-filled garden pot with a hook (make them using the instructions below). If you don’t have rope, old pantyhose work well as they are soft and won’t dig into the branch!

On left...pear tree branches weighed down with ropes attached to cement filled cans and plant pots. On right, a rope attached to a tent peg. Weighing down tree branches with limb spreaders and tree weights.
You can weigh down branches using ropes attached to DIY tree weights made with old cans and plant pots. Instructions are below. Or you can attach the ropes to the ground with tent pegs. Photo credits: Suzanne Moncion.

Partially Filled Water Bottles and Soft Garden Tie: You can also use soft garden tie to hang partially filled plastic water bottles on the branches that you want to weigh down. Fill the bottles enough to bring the branch down to 45 degrees and leave them until the branch lignifies. Ensure the tie is padded or coated to avoid damaging the branch.

Galvanized Wire and Tent Pegs: Matt, an Orchard People student, uses galvanized wire and tent pegs in his small orchard. “It’s super cheap at 585 feet for 40 bucks. I can make whatever size I want and they’re fully reusable,” he explains.

Wood with V-Cut at Ends: Ron suggests making your own spreader from a wooden lath with a V-cut on both ends using a band saw or electric saw. “For 30 trees, you might only need to make 10 or 12 of these, In various lengths like 30 cm (1’), 45 cm (1.5’), 60 cm (2’), and a meter (40”),” he says. They’re not abrasive and fit snugly below the branch you’re trying to spread.

Weighing Down Fruit Tree Branches with Rubber Bands!

Ron’s favorite method is using UV-resistant rubber bands from Peach Ridge Orchard Supply in Michigan. “They work with both young and lignified branches,” he emphasizes. “The 4-inch bands are the most versatile, but I occasionally use 8-inch bands or link multiple bands for extra strength.”

Two images. Both of a tabbed UV resistant  band used to weigh down pear tree branches so that they grow more horizontally. Weighing down tree branches with limb spreaders and tree weights.
Tabbed UV resistant bands make excellent fruit tree branch spreaders as they won't damage the branch and can weigh down even older and more lignified branches. Photo credit: Ron Perry.

Training branches is crucial for building a strong fruit-bearing tree structure. But, mastering specialist fruit tree pruning techniques is essential for long-term success. Learn to prune fruit trees in this article on pruning old apple trees, or join our online courses at Learn.OrchardPeople.com. Registered students can join our live monthly live Zoom meetups for discussions and answers to your questions!


Portland Fruit Tree Project staff member looks at a clipboard. In the background is a young fruit tree with the limbs weighed down with twine and DIY fruit tree weights. Weighing down tree branches with limb spreaders and tree weights.
A young fruit tree in a park in Portland. The limbs have been weighed down with twine attached to DIY fruit tree training weights. Photo credit: OrchardPeople.com.

How to Make DIY Fruit Tree Training Weights

Make your own DIY tree weights with used plant pots filled with concrete. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Materials Needed:

•  Small used plastic plant pots or tin cans

•  Quick-setting concrete mix

•  Landscape staples or other sturdy hooks

•  Twine or strong garden string

•  Water

•  Mixing container and stirring stick

Step-by-Step:

1.   Prepare the Plant Pots: Clean and dry the recycled plant pots or tin cans.

2.   Mix the Concrete: Follow the instructions on the quick-setting concrete mix package. Mix the concrete with water in a separate container until you achieve a thick, pourable consistency.

3.   Fill the Plant Pots: Place a landscape staple or hook vertically into the center of each plant pot. This will serve as the attachment point for the twine. Pour the mixed concrete into each plant pot, filling it to the top.

4.   Allow Concrete to Set: Follow the curing time recommended on the concrete mix package. This may take a few hours.

5.   Attach Twine to Branches: Identify the young fruit tree branches you want to train. Tie one end of the twine gently around a branch so it will not cut into or girdle the branch. Put the twine close to where you want to apply pressure to direct branch growth.

6.   Secure with DIY Tree Weights: Loop the other end of the twine through the landscape staple in your homemade concrete weight. Pull the twine so it’s tight enough to gently bend the branch down to a 45 degree angle. Repeat this process for each branch you want to train, adjusting the tension as needed.

7.   Monitor and Adjust: Regularly check the tree’s growth and adjust the twine tension or reposition the DIY tree weights as necessary. Remove the weights when the branch is lignified. This may only take a few months.

This page includes affiliate links.  Orchard People may receive a small commission if you make a purchase. The funds will help support the creation of free resources including our blog, YouTube channel and podcast

Headshot of Susan Poizner

Susan Poizner

Director, OrchardPeople.com Fruit Tree Care Education

Learn more about Susan on the about us page. 

Susan Poizner and the cover of her eBook Grow Fruit Trees That Thrive

FRUIT TREE CARE NEWSLETTER

Sign up for our monthly newsletter and we will send you our eBook "Growing Fruit Trees That Thrive." You can unsubscribe at any time.
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