What is a stepover?

A stepover is a tree with a short vertical trunk, usually topped with a pair of branches (or arms) trained horizontally on either side to form a T-shape. They can also just have one arm. Typically the trunk is 45–60cm (18–24in) tall. The arms of a T-shaped (two-arm) stepover can span up to 3–3.5 (10–11½) in total. If training a stepover with one arm, the arm will typically extend 1.5–1.8m (58–6ft). Fruit is produced on short side-shoots along the horizontal branches. Several trees are often grown in a row, to line a path or edge a bed.
 
Stepovers make very attractive, space-saving features and are perfect for small gardens, but they do need pruning every year in late summer, to retain their shape and ensure good fruiting.
 
Stepovers are created in two main ways:

• Single-tier espaliers – these are trained in the same way as espaliers, but with just one tier of horizontal branches
• Horizontal cordons – these are created using a modified method of oblique cordon training. The stem is gradually bent and the upper part lowered to a horizontal position to form a single-arm stepover

One-armed stepovers are created by bending the main stem of a flexible one-year-old tree until it’s horizontal    ©RHS / Tim Sandall

Rootstock and cultivar choices

Apple and pear trees are sold as grafted plants, comprising a rootstock (which controls the plant’s size) and a cultivar (which forms the upper part). To make a successful stepover, it’s important to buy a tree that combines a suitable rootstock and cultivar.
 
For such a compact trained form, the tree must have a very dwarfing rootstock:

• M27 for apples – very dwarfing, it’s the best option for stepover training
• M9 for apples – dwarfing, useful for stepovers grown in poor soil
• M26 for apples – dwarfing, suitable for conventional cordons, but can be too vigorous for stepovers, so preferably look for trees grafted onto a more dwarfing rootstock
• Quince C and Quince Eline for pears – semi-dwarfing, the best choices for stepovers

Gardeners often use the word variety when referring to a specific plant, but the correct botanical term is 'cultivar'. Whichever word you use, it means a distinctive plant or plants, given a specific cultivar name and usually bred to enhance certain characteristics, such as flower or fruit size, colour, flavour or fragrance, plant size, hardiness, disease resistance, etc. Additionally, it is worth knowing that, botanically, variety has another meaning - it refers to a naturally-occurring distinct plant that only has slight differences in its looks. For example, Malva alcea var. fastigiata differs from typical plants by having an upright habit.

cultivar

• Spur-bearing cultivars  are best suited for stepover training, as they carry their fruit on short side-shoots known as spurs
• Partial tip-bearers may be trained as stepovers, although some are more challenging to maintain than others – see FAQs below.
• Tip-bearers aren’t suitable for stepover training

Unless the cultivar you choose is self-fertile or partly self-fertile, you’ll need another compatible cultivar (from the same

The transfer of pollen grains from a male anther to a female stigma, either within the same flower or between two different flowers. It’s usually followed by fertilisation and seed production. Some flowers are pollinated by insects or other small creatures, others are wind pollinated. It’s also possible to pollinate flowers by hand, if you want to breed new plants or ensure successful pollination when there are few natural pollinators.

Apples: choosing cultivars

Apples: choosing cultivars

Pears: choosing cultivars

Pears: choosing cultivars

Pre-trained or untrained trees

Depending on how much training you want to do, you can buy partly or fully trained stepovers or you can start with a one-year-old tree (known as a maiden) and train it entirely from scratch. Both trained and untrained trees are mainly available from online suppliers.

Pre-trained stepovers are generally either single-tier espaliers with a short central trunk and two horizontal branches (arms), or modified cordons with short trunk and one horizontal arm.  
 
These are the more expensive option, but their shape is usually fully formed. You just need to train the new growth on the ends of the horizontal arms until they reach the desired length. Start regular summer pruning of the side-shoots straight away, as for an established espalier. 

Pre-trained stepovers are usually 45–60cm (18–24in)    © RHS/Tim Sandall

A plant that is restricted by pruning to usually one main stem, either upright or at a 45 degree angle, with short fruiting side-shoots (spurs). Apples, pears, gooseberries, tomatoes, redcurrants and whitecurrants are often grown as cordons, especially where space is limited. Sweet peas can be grown as cordons to produce large flowers for exhibition.

cordon

Stepovers can be trained in two different ways, both starting with a one-year-old tree, known as a maiden. It can either have side-shoots (a feathered maiden) or not (an unfeathered maiden).

Single-tier espalier – for a two-arm stepover

This method is almost identical to training a new espalier from scratch, but quicker as only one horizontal tier is required.

 ©RHS/Chris Lane

In the first winter:

1. Plant the single-stemmed tree just in front of the horizontal wire, which should be positioned at the height you want the arms – usually between 45cm (18in) and 60cm (2ft) from the ground. Insert a bamboo cane vertically and attach it to the wire stretched between sturdy posts, then tie in the lower part of the stem to the cane
2. Prune back the stem to just above the wire, making your cut above a heathy bud
3. The two uppermost buds will produce shoots in spring that will form the two side branches 

In the first spring/summer:

• Select two strong side-shoots at the top of the main stem, one on each side, which will become the horizontal branches. Initially, these need to be trained at a 40° angle, to form a Y-shape, as this will promote strong growth. Don’t train them horizontally to start with, as that would reduce their vigour
• To support the two side-shoots in the Y position, insert bamboo canes into the ground angled at 40°, and attach to the wire. You’re also likely to need additional vertical canes to help hold them securely. Tie the two side-shoots to the angled canes to keep them straight and in the correct position
• In late summer, lower the two side-shoots to the horizontal wire to form the T-shape, once they’ve stopped growing
• Prune back all the other side-shoots to two or three leaves

 In the second winter/early spring:

• If the horizontal branches grow poorly, cut them back by up to a quarter. Also consider raising them back at 40° in spring to encourage stronger growth. Lower them to horizontal again in late summer
• Remove any other side-shoots growing directly from the main stem

 From the second summer onwards:

• Start pruning annually in late summer, in the same way as established espaliers 
• All stepovers require consistent pruning every summer to keep them in good shape and fruiting well

Modified cordon training – for a single-arm stepover

In the first winter:

• Plant the maiden tree next to one of the sturdy upright posts and tie the stem to it
• If the tree has side-shoots (a feathered maiden), remove any on the lower part of the stem that will remain upright
• Then cut back any other side-shoots (laterals) that are longer than 10cm (4in) to three or four buds. Leave any shorter side-shoots unpruned

 In the first spring:

• Once there are signs of growth from the buds, start gradually and carefully bending the top part of the tree towards the horizontal wire. The vertical, lower part needs to be well secured to the post to make sure it remains upright
• Tie the top part of the stem to the wire in several places to distribute the pressure and ensure it bends evenly. Take care not to overstrain the ties, to avoid bending the stem too far too quickly, which would risk breaking it
• Over time, gradually shorten the ties. Take it slowly – the steady bending of the stem may take the whole growing season

In the first summer:

• Prune the side-shoots as for new cordons, so they form fruiting spurs
• Leave the end of the main stem unpruned and tie in its additional growth to the horizontal wire

 Second summer onwards:

• Start pruning annually in late summer, in the same way as established oblique cordons 
• Keep the main stem unpruned until the arm reaches the desired length, then cut just above a bud
• All stepovers require consistent pruning every summer to keep them in good shape and fruiting well

• You may be pruning too early, before growth slows down. Try delaying until September, when larger terminal (end) buds have formed at the shoot tips and the shoots have stopped growing
• If pruning is followed by a spell of good growing conditions (warmth and rain), growth may re-start. Prune back any re-growth in September (or October if pruning later) to one leaf beyond your previous cut.

• Prune them right back in winter to stubs 3–5cm (1–2in) long, cutting just above a well-placed dormant bud. But take care not to remove more than a third of the side-shoots in any one year
• Spread this pruning evenly around the plant and over several winters
• Follow this pruning by normal summer pruning annually