B-118 Rootstocks

[Bowsnbucks]

I was reading yesterday on ACN's (Adams County Nursery - Pa.) web catalog. They list the various rootstocks that they graft their trees to. In the description for B-118, they say that it doesn't anchor well, though it's considered a free-standing tree. It's the first I noticed such a description about B-118 from a well-regarded nursery such as ACN. B-118 is rated to grow a tree about 85% of standard size apple trees. Most of us on here have some B-118 trees. Leaning is a problem for some of us & our trees - other guys have no problem with leaning.

I thought I'd post that info from a qualified nursery source. FWIW.

 

[gunfun13]

When I was first getting into fruit tree plantings B118 was the go to recommendation for wildlife plantings...well M111 for heavier soils and clay, B118 for light or sandy soils. I have sand. A couple years later I started grafting, and went to purchase 100 rootstocks. I was later in the year and everyone was out of B118. I was disappointed but purchased M111 in its place. What a blessing that turned out to be. Over half my B118s have substantial leaning problems.

 

[Native Hunter]

MM111 trees stand like a brick wall for me, but I've had horrible luck with B118. All of them lean, and several have gone completely down.

Last year my biggest surviving B118 tree (an Arkansas Black) finally went down. I had it braced with 2 T-posts, and the T-posts went down with the tree. All other nearby apples on MM111 and Dolgo (without any bracing) stood just fine.

People can plant whatever they want to plant, but I don't need any more evidence for my personal choices.

 

[PoorSand]

I wish the B-118 trees I grafted eight years ago would actually get tall enough to lean. Only one has gotten over 3' tall in my sand so far.

 

[Diesel5610]

I have posted several times on my problems with B118 here. The poor anchoring and leaning has been my experience with somewhere between one and two dozen trees. I wish that information had been out there when I tried them. I have one Transcendant Crab on B118 that is growing like gangbusters and seems to be straight and strong after like 7 years, but that is literally the only one. The rest have been nothing but problems. MM111 and Dolgo rootstock are what produce the best trees here.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Just another reason why this place is awesome. I grafted 10 new trees onto M-111 a few weeks ago because of people's recommendations here that are in my area. We bought a bunch of big box store apple trees a few years ago and all of the ones we bought that year either tipped over and died or are going to eventually. I'm not sure I would have made the connection to the rootstock if it hadn't been for this forum.