Problems with Honeycrisp on dwarfing rootstock

[Prof.Kent]

I have about a dozen Honeycrisp trees. Those on M7 or G30 rootstock do not seem to grow as well as those on MM111 or M106 rootstock in my sandy soil, even when they seem to get enough water. Iron chlorosis (the yellowing of the leaves) is more prevalent in the smaller rootstocks. Jap Beetles love them all, of course. Does anyone have the same problems?

 

[buckvelvet]

All of my home orchard trees are on M7 and G30 roots, i don't have honeycrisp yet but will after this spring on G222 when I graft it.

You think its specific to the variety and not the rootstock. Like Honeycrisp on our michigan sandy soil is runting out on M7 or G30?

I have a Fuji 2 that is killing it on G30 at age 2. Other varieties are doing well on M7. My Cortland on M7 is painfully slow but I think thats the variety trait there.

 

[Prof.Kent]

All of my home orchard trees are on M7 and G30 roots, i don't have honeycrisp yet but will after this spring on G222 when I graft it.

You think its specific to the variety and not the rootstock. Like Honeycrisp on our michigan sandy soil is runting out on M7 or G30?

I have a Fuji 2 that is killing it on G30 at age 2. Other varieties are doing well on M7. My Cortland on M7 is painfully slow but I think thats the variety trait there.

Yes, I think the runting problem is specific to Honeycrisp on M7. The iron chlorosis problem seems worse on dwarf rootstock. Had Honeycrisp on G30 and it died due to wet roots, I think. Was a sad little tree for 7 years, only it's second crop was good, after that it just slowly died. It also had some shading issues. But I'm too nice of a neighbor to sneak over at night with a chainsaw and cut down someone's huge 100 year-old shade maple. Not that I hadn't though of doing it. Many times. Gleefully.

 

[buckvelvet]

'just that one windstorm got him i swear!' :)

What are the honeycrisps on that are doing really well in your videos? Maybe put 1 on B118 and keep it small i bet it will be a great tree.

 

[Prof.Kent]

Some are unknown but I suspect they are on M106. One is doing quite well on M7 but is heavily mulched near the house.
I have a Honeycrisp tree that last year gave me 1.5 bushel of huge, red apples only 15' from my kitchen window.
Now you envy me. :-)
Here is my daughter and I picking it last Fall.

 

[buckvelvet]

Yeah that tree done killed it last year. :)

The way this spring looks i see zero reason that shouldn't repeat it self.

 

[Turkey Creek]

I believe HC are known to be biannual especially if allowed to over crop. They are a categorized as a non-vigorous growing variety as well in terms of the tree. I have struggled in my environment to get them to grow on B9, I have given up on that combination here. Even on B118 and M111 takes them 2 years to get as big as most of my other trees do in a single growing season.

 

[Prof.Kent]

I believe HC are known to be biannual especially if allowed to over crop. They are a categorized as a non-vigorous growing variety as well in terms of the tree. I have struggled in my environment to get them to grow on B9, I have given up on that combination here. Even on B118 and M111 takes them 2 years to get as big as most of my other trees do in a single growing season.

So far my Honeycrisp in front of my kitchen window has fruited 3 years in a row. The year before last was a light set though. HC need an extra shot of nitrogen fertilizer to get them up to speed. Nitrogen; the Coffee for apple trees.

 

[Appleman]

I have around 300 Honeycrisp grown on B118 with few problems. I have less then 5 trees that runted out because I allowed them to bear fruit at third leaf. I also lost a few trees to winter kill over the years. Bearing has been consistently yearly which I credit to an aggressive chemical thinning program. No other major problems I can think of.

 

[Prof.Kent]

Now there's a Honeycrisp lover!

 

[sandbur]

I am very inexperienced at this apple production business, but honey crisp has not been an easy tree to grow. I have given up on it.
About five years ago, a group of hobbyists/producers/ college horticulturists met in central Minnesota. It had been a cold winter two years back and many reported dieback.

The speaker reported that you could have two trees side by side on the same rootstock and one would dieback and the other would not.


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[buckvelvet]

Isn't HC from the MN program?

 

[Northbound]

Has anyone compiled a list of which varieties don't work well on particular rootstock?

HC on bud9 and 111 seem most common from nurseries, maybe they have such lists?

I ordered m7 rootstocks this year as they grow well for me, now you've got me thinking I shouldn't create any HC trees using those

 

[NE PA QDM]

Has anyone compiled a list of which varieties don't work well on particular rootstock?

HC on bud9 and 111 seem most common from nurseries, maybe they have such lists?

I ordered m7 rootstocks this year as they grow well for me, now you've got me thinking I shouldn't create any HC trees using those

Only one I know off the top of my head is that winesap is not compatible w M7

 

[sandbur]

Isn't HC from the MN program?

Yes it is, but Minnesota three, maybe four US climate zones present. We used to have a bit of zone 5 and zone 2.


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[Prof.Kent]

Has anyone compiled a list of which varieties don't work well on particular rootstock?

HC on bud9 and 111 seem most common from nurseries, maybe they have such lists?

I ordered m7 rootstocks this year as they grow well for me, now you've got me thinking I shouldn't create any HC trees using those

I have one HC on M7 that is doing fine. About 4 that are not. HC seems to have some physiological problems that make it difficult to grow on smaller rootstocks, in my opinion. I don't know about B9 rootstocks, which are usually irrigated. But the apple is so stinking good we all plant it. There are a handful of Honeycrisp crosses on the market now and more to come, I bet. You might want to try Stark Bros. Hart's Fancy, Red Romance, Ruby Darling and Scarlet Crush.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Has anyone compiled a list of which varieties don't work well on particular rootstock?

HC on bud9 and 111 seem most common from nurseries, maybe they have such lists?

I ordered m7 rootstocks this year as they grow well for me, now you've got me thinking I shouldn't create any HC trees using those

You can check out the largest commercial nurseries and see what varieties on what root stocks they normally grow. You really need to keep in mind how your local growing conditions affect tree growth; temperature, annual precip, growing zone, natural soil fertility, wind strength, etcc. as time goes on I realize more and more how that the blanket statements made by growers in the Pacific Northwest and East coast dont apply to many of us in the Midwest. I think the Orange Pippin site and the GRIN site probably categorize tree growth by vigor. The lower the vigor of the tree the more horsepower you need in a root stock, depending on what you want for tree size and productivity.

 

[Prof.Kent]

Has anyone compiled a list of which varieties don't work well on particular rootstock?

HC on bud9 and 111 seem most common from nurseries, maybe they have such lists?

I ordered m7 rootstocks this year as they grow well for me, now you've got me thinking I shouldn't create any HC trees using those

Never graft Northern Spy to a Seedling/B118/MM111 rootstock. NS is notorious for being late to mature. It might take 10 or more years to get an apple.

 

[sandbur]

Has anyone compiled a list of which varieties don't work well on particular rootstock?

HC on bud9 and 111 seem most common from nurseries, maybe they have such lists?

I ordered m7 rootstocks this year as they grow well for me, now you've got me thinking I shouldn't create any HC trees using those

Never graft Northern Spy to a Seedling/B118/MM111 rootstock. NS is notorious for being late to mature. It might take 10 or more years to get an apple.

I heard that was true for most of the Spy’s. I finally cut one down, with the honey crisp.

I am trying some kindercrisp. They taste great.


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[aerospacefarmer]

Never graft Northern Spy to a Seedling/B118/MM111 rootstock. NS is notorious for being late to mature. It might take 10 or more years to get an apple.

I just did that. Why didn’t I read this yesterday lol but my Honeycrisp do awesome on M 111