Apple tree root stock production

Oct 04, 2011 3 Replies

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nfr 14 years ago

I'm looking into the posssiblity of raising some new apple trees from my old trees, and have a specifc question about propogating / increasing rootstock.

Lets forget the grafting of the scion for a moment.

The question is, lets suppose I can get hold of or buy a small quantity of rootstock, would I then be able to increase this stock myself. Put another way, if you plant some rootstock without grafting onto it I'm assuming it will grown into a bush / tree? I'm then assuming you could take cuttings / layering to increase stock.

Is this practical? I'm assuming one of the disadvantage is you need time (several years) on your hands for the rootstock to estabish to the point that it can be used to produce further stock?

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David Hare-Scott 14 years ago

Yes, yes.

It is done all the time by commercial growers so clearly it is practical. Whether the time required is reasonable for the result obtained only you can answer. This kind of thing is taught in horticulture courses regularly at technical and trade colleges. I would expect that you could get (maybe borrow) a book from them that will tell you all about it so you can decide if it is worth the trouble.

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Steve 14 years ago

The traditional method for reproducing a rootstock is to make a stool bed.

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songbird 14 years ago

Steve wrote: ...

plenty of old wild apple trees around here with very little chance of them being covered by any sort of patent.

i'd be surprised if i'm the only person living someplace that has old wild apple trees. seeds from them can be used to develop rootstock. if there are laws against that anyplace i'd be surprised as they'd be nearly unenforceable.

songbird

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