I have both purchased trees on B-118 as well as grafted any number of my own trees on B-118. I've not had issues with trees leaning. Leaning could be secondary to heavy winds, snow drifts, sun issues, etc. Some staking when you notice the leaning might be helpful until the tree can hold its own. One thing I really like about B-118 is that the leaves are reddish so there is never any question of graft vs rootstock if there is some breakage. BTW B-118 readily fruits and deer will eat the fruit so they make a good tree for mast. You can eat them also but they are tart. They are not bitter.
I have both purchased trees on B-118 as well as grafted any number of my own trees on B-118. I've not had issues with trees leaning. Leaning could be secondary to heavy winds, snow drifts, sun issues, etc. Some staking when you notice the leaning might be helpful until the tree can hold its own. One thing I really like about B-118 is that the leaves are reddish so there is never any question of graft vs rootstock if there is some breakage. BTW B-118 readily fruits and deer will eat the fruit so they make a good tree for mast. You can eat them also but they are tart. They are not bitter.
https://www.fedcoseeds.com/trees/emmalusem-antonovka-rootstock-225
I bought some from Fedco last spring when they ran a sale in March, good price and good quality. Way different roots than I was used to with the B118s.
I've planted a bunch of whips & feathered trees on Antonovka roots. They look more like carrots than the fine, hairy, numerous roots of other rootstocks. Don't let that scare you. The first 2 years in the ground, they don't seem to do much, but starting in year 3 they take off and when they kick in - they kick in. You'll get a full-sized tree on Antonovka anywhere from 24 ft. to 35 ft. tall.
anyone know of a good source of antonkova rootstocks?
I've planted hundreds of B118 in the last 8 years or so years and many of them are bearing fruit. Any that have any kind of support from stakes or wire hoops tend to be weak in the lower 2 to 4 feet of the trunk and will tip over if not staked until they reach 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. Those that were planted within our electric fence enclosure do well without staking and most of them do not lean since they were growing from the beginning without any kind of stake or wire fence hoop for support . they move freely in the wind and the trunk puts on more diameter growth that way from the stress of moving in the wind compared to trees that have any kind of support.
http://willamettenurseries.com/ is where i get mine from. No issues with them at all good nursery
for quite a few years I bought my B118 rootstocks from Willamette. The last couple of years I've been buying them from Cummins. Thanks to BuckSnort posting above, I will be buying Antonovka from Fedco Seeds unless I find a better source. Their price is hard to beat.
This may not help a lot but I had that issue come up twice.View attachment 26930
Was out in the garden today getting things ready for winter and noticed this Liberty on B118 that grew great this year has a long split in the bark (split is on the rootstock, this one was grafted just above where the picture ends). Any idea what could be the cause of this? I sure hope it makes it through winter, I was looking forward to planting in the spring.