D
dipper
Guest
Dug up some of my grafts on lasts years newly grafted trees on antonovka rootstock. The roots on these stock were thin at purchase. My grafts put on little growth with ideal soil conditions and managment. I continued to remove the actual stocks buds and growth throughout last year's growing season to optimize growth to the graft.
When I dug the trees up this spring I think I actually lost roots! Now this soil is over 20% om, mulch, irrigation, ideal ph.
I have a feeling removing the foliage hurt me more than helped me. With only one little bud providing for the tree the stock wasn't thriving. The lack of leaves limited photosynthesis, which I feel limited my growth above and below ground. This year I am going to let the tree do its thing the first year and start cutting back on year 2.
I know this is different than what many of you do with your b118 and such. Maybe that antonovka rootstock is that slow? I hope not because I'll have 9 of them goin in the ground.
When I dug the trees up this spring I think I actually lost roots! Now this soil is over 20% om, mulch, irrigation, ideal ph.
I have a feeling removing the foliage hurt me more than helped me. With only one little bud providing for the tree the stock wasn't thriving. The lack of leaves limited photosynthesis, which I feel limited my growth above and below ground. This year I am going to let the tree do its thing the first year and start cutting back on year 2.
I know this is different than what many of you do with your b118 and such. Maybe that antonovka rootstock is that slow? I hope not because I'll have 9 of them goin in the ground.
