Back to Eden Gardening and Hugelkulture and other non-conventional garden methods

[HoopyFrood]

Why can't apples make roots? I have apple seeds starting. What do they use for root stock?

They can The desirous fruiting types just may not have the heartiest root system. Rootstock is typically propagated for disease, insect, and climate hardiness. Additionally they can dwarf fruiting trees far below their "standard" size to aid in harvesting.

Scion or rootstock, they're all apples and all of it came from seed at some point. But since apple flowers require different varieties' pollen to produce fruit, seeds are notoriously unreliable as a means of propagating consistently desirable traits.

When I'm at Fedco I'll ask about their rootstock propagation program. I'm guessing it's done by getting cuttings to take root. But I'll ask to make sure. If it isn't I'm sure it will be something interesting!

 

[pennyJo1960]

we may dig a bit in the chickens yard for that root stock also

 

[lazy gardener]

@HoopyFrood , You can also get seedling root stock at Fedco. I have a seedling pear that I've unsuccessfully tried to graft onto. Had a scion that was well started last summer. In my zeal to weed around the seedling, I knocked the scion off. Hope to repeat the process this spring.

It would make sense to harvest some root cuttings from a good root stock cultivar.

 

[lazy gardener]

I wonder if, in theory: if you had a young apple tree if you could cut a root, but leave it in place in the ground, bring the proximal portion up to the soil surface, and graft a scion onto it. Then, when root and scion show growth, dig the whole thing up and plant it elsewhere.

 

[pennyJo1960]

did get 2 sweet pepper plants in the ground also a crook neck squash and a zucchini all starts at Walmart

 

[HoopyFrood]

I wonder if, in theory: if you had a young apple tree if you could cut a root, but leave it in place in the ground, bring the proximal portion up to the soil surface, and graft a scion onto it. Then, when root and scion show growth, dig the whole thing up and plant it elsewhere.

Interesting!

Will Bonsall's "Essential Guide..." is available through the state wide library system (Minerva for us... but it branches to the MaineCat library system). The book itself is pretty expensive ($25-$35), which is why I mention the library system. In that book he has an extensive discussion on several grafting techniques that are VERY detailed with great diagrams. I supplemented them with some YouTube searches and I think there's a few small points most folks might miss that could cause problems.

Of course this is pure conjecture since I haven't grafted yet. But based on info I've come across to date, Bonsall's write up it seems a concise and reasonable primer. Since you've tried it and have resulting data, I'd be very curious to know what you think of his write up

 

[lazy gardener]

I initially did a whip and tongue that did not take. A friend then did a cleft which did take, but I broke it off. The resulting seedling root stock is about 4" tall before the cut, and it has developed a lot of side branches due to having been lopped off 2 seasons in a row. I'm hoping there is enough of a stub left for me to try a cleft graft again.

There's a lot of material out there on grafting techniques, including stuff on the net, and in book form. I do have some written material. I think it's simply a matter of trying it until you get it right, and doing the right type of graft at the right time of year. Supposedly, bud grafting is the most successful with pears.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I initially did a whip and tongue that did not take. A friend then did a cleft which did take, but I broke it off. The resulting seedling root stock is about 4" tall before the cut, and it has developed a lot of side branches due to having been lopped off 2 seasons in a row. I'm hoping there is enough of a stub left for me to try a cleft graft again.

There's a lot of material out there on grafting techniques, including stuff on the net, and in book form. I do have some written material. I think it's simply a matter of trying it until you get it right, and doing the right type of graft at the right time of year. Supposedly, bud grafting is the most successful with pears.

So you cut off the top of the pear tree and graft other fruits onto it?

 

[lazy gardener]

Graft a named cultivar onto it. The seedling tree is just as described: a tree grown from a seed which will not likely bear fruit of any quality.

I think it might be a good practice to go out into the country side and find wild fruit trees that have grown well, in spite of neglect, and apparently are disease resistant, and well adapted to the climate. Take fruit from THOSE trees, plant the seeds, and use those seedlings as root stock for grafting purposes.

 

[pennyJo1960]

guess my question is why must we graft .. James has apple tree sprouts in 3 small pots the first one is close to 1 foot now has small leaves at the top