Apple Rootstocks and Interstem Combinations

[cavey]

Have any of you heard of this or done it. Scion grafted to dwarfing rootstock grafted to say antonovka rootstock. You graft your scion variety to a dwarfing rootstock to control size and vigor maybe earlier fruit bearing ( these graft unions above ground as well as the final union) but then the root section is a standard for its root system and inherent benefits. Just read a little about it.

https://extension.psu.edu/apple-rootstocks-interstem-apple-trees-revisited

http://skillcult.com/blog/2014/08/09/interstem-apple-tree-update

https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3469&context=rtd old research


https://articles.extension.org/pages/60912/interstem-apple-trees this kind of indicated it doesnt always work


Interesting concept anyways....

 

[chickenlittle]

I had plans to do a variety of interstems as part of my apple shotplot project but lost interest in the project. Too much work, too long to have trees ready to plant, and no guarantee on size control. For a general wildlife tree, there is no reason to do it. I ended up with 2 that I transplanted this spring to my fenced orchard. Both are mm111 with m27 interstem. One is Coop 17 and the other is Coop 37. Everything else i regrafted below the interstem.

 

[Prof.Kent]

I had plans to do a variety of interstems as part of my apple shotplot project but lost interest in the project. Too much work, too long to have trees ready to plant, and no guarantee on size control. For a general wildlife tree, there is no reason to do it. I ended up with 2 that I transplanted this spring to my fenced orchard. Both are mm111 with m27 interstem. One is Coop 17 and the other is Coop 37. Everything else i regrafted below the interstem.

Never have done it but have read about interstems. Sometimes it is the only way a particular variety is compatible with a particular rootstock.

 

[cavey]

Never have done it but have read about interstems. Sometimes it is the only way a particular variety is compatible with a particular rootstock.

Im assuming from what I have read that that would be the main reason to do it, and I agree with chicken little - its to much work for what you typically would gain... and of little value to wildlife trees in general. May well be some specific applications with unique soils and moisture issues where you want a dwarfed variety

We tend to over due a few things when it comes to fruit trees - part of the fun of the art of grafting I guess. I've done it by default on a couple of trees.

 

[chickenlittle]

I'm not aware of any apple combinations where I'd want a specific rootstock for a specific variety but they were incompatible. With so many rootstock choices, I could find something I'd be willing to use. For some other species like pears, incompatibilities can make interstems can be important. I often read about Winter Banana, an apple variety, being compatible enough with pears to be an interstem between apple and pear. The pear Old Home is supposed to be a good interstem for pears.

 

[DLH]

I’ve currently got a OHXF 333 on a Callery pear and haven’t decided what to graft onto it. I also have a g30 on b118 and a p20 I believe on m111 but I did this for the heck of it more than any particular reason.