Tall Spindle Shape -- Can Medlars Be Trained/Pruned Into It?

Is it possible to train a medlar tree as a tall spindle like the method used on 'The Permaculture Orchard' film?

Seems a lot of work to me , most of my medlars seem to need little if any pruning .

Mine were pruned when I bought they but not since then. About 5 years ago. They seem to naturally have a nice shape and fairly compact. I think they are on quince rootstock.

How are you using the fruits? Mine don't have much flavor. I haven't tried cooking them yet.

I'm working with a limited space. Tall spindles are ugly but I think it's the most sensible option in terms of production in a small space. Well for apples at least. I have two tall spindle apple trees spaced two metres apart. I want to know if I could get away with two tall spindle medlars spaced at one metre away from each apple. The  thing is I don't even know if you can tall spindle a medlar. I haven't seen anyone do it.

Mine are only about a meter apart and not quite touching yet. They are very ornamental. Large white, blooms and glossy, green leaves.

Ken W Wilson wrote:Mine are only about a meter apart and not quite touching yet. They are very ornamental. Large white, blooms and glossy, green leaves.

How old are they and are you pruning them to be a tall spindle?

Around five years. I've never pruned them. It may be the quince rootstock that keeps them from branching out mouth.

Maybe I've been living under a rock I have never heard of this fruit.  How are you using it?

This quote came up when I searched Medlar.

"Here’s a simple recipe for a tart, dating back to 1660, from Robert May’s The Accomplisht Cook: “Take medlars that are rotten, strain them, and set them on a chaffing dish of coals, season them with sugar, cinnamon and ginger, put some yolks of eggs to them, let it boil a little, and lay it in a cut tart; being baked scrape on sugar.”

That really is old. I think if you spiced them you could make them taste like spiced applesauce or apple butter. It'd be a lot more work though. Well if you could cook them whole and then seed them, it might not be bad.