Apple Tree Cuttings

[Victor Van Meter]

Anyone try planting apple tree cuttings? According to YouTube it works, but am always skeptical. My aunt has an apple tree that she says she just found in the woods, dug up and moved to her yard a few years ago and that thing produces tons of apples almost every year. I would like to take some cuttings from it and hopefully get those results as well. Thanks for the insight.

VV

 

[H20fwler]

I think that may be how a lot of nurseries make rootstock. Cut a selected length in early spring while still dormant dip in root hormone either place in water or potting soil and baby.
I’ve done it with my rootstock cuttings while grafting in spring. I’ve taken the piece cut off when I shortened rootstock, hit with hormone and pushed into nursery dirt, have had maybe 10-20% success with it. None of them ever grew at what I would call “vigorous”.
Couldn’t you just get cuttings off it in late winter and graft to known rootstocks that you like?

 

[chickenlittle]

Grafting is the easy way to successfully propagate apple. If her tree is a seedling, root suckers could be dug up and transplanted.

Dormant hardwood cuttings can work with some apples with variable success. It doesn’t take much effort to try but don’t be surprised if they all leaf out and slowly die.

 

[PatinPA]

I've done it with blueberries. I've tried apples but never had success. Blueberries you take fresh growth in the spring. I tried to do the same with apples but they all died quickly.

 

[Victor Van Meter]

I think that may be how a lot of nurseries make rootstock. Cut a selected length in early spring while still dormant dip in root hormone either place in water or potting soil and baby.
I’ve done it with my rootstock cuttings while grafting in spring. I’ve taken the piece cut off when I shortened rootstock, hit with hormone and pushed into nursery dirt, have had maybe 10-20% success with it. None of them ever grew at what I would call “vigorous”.
Couldn’t you just get cuttings off it in late winter and graft to known rootstocks that you like?

I have had zero success with apple trees. The ones I planted early on after I bought my property I didn't protect (rookie mistake) and they were damaged and died. The few I have planted after that, have died within a few years of planting. So, all that to say, I have nothing to graft it to.

I will give it a shot and see what happens. Thanks for the replies.

VV

 

[Prof.Kent]

My advice, buy some known rootstocks, graft onto with known variety. Plant twice as many as you want to survive. Like government, Nature always takes its cut.