Stooling rootstock

[Rally1148]

Hey all,

I am planning on adding a few apples next year (~5 for me, and maybe ~5-10 for my BIL), and I thought that it'd be fun to do some grafting. My question is regarding if I can "grow" my rootstock.

I have 2 seedlings started from a 40+ year old full sized tree in our "orchard" that is one of the only trees to not be infested with fireblight. For these, should I plant them this spring, and stool them? Or are they going to be too young as only being sprouted this year?

I am also planning on using B.118 stock. My plan is to buy one or two of these from Cummins (or another quality nursery), and then stool them this spring/summer. Will I get enough growth in just one year, after transplant, to be able to have some new rootstock for next year?

I've read a lot online, and I guess my biggest questions are about the timeline and the size of the rootstock during stooling.


Thanks for any and all help!


Chris

 

[CrazyEd]

Just an FYI if you havent bought your B118 stock yet and plan on doing something with it this spring summer you should do so now. I know another member bought the last 9 from cummins not too long ago.

 

[greyphase]

Hey Chris

I planted a B118 in the corner of my garden last spring. After it had leafed out I cut it off flush with the ground and sat a 5 gallon bucket with the bottom cut out over it. It sent up 2 sprouts which I keep covering with sawdust as they grew. I kept about 6 inches of new growth above the sawdust at all times. They grew to about 2 feet high and are a very nice size to graft to. I'm just hoping that they survived this winter's frigid temps being above ground level in the bucket. I'm hoping also that as the "mother" plant gets established she will send up more sprouts. It's all a learning experience. :)

Rick

 

[dipper]

I'm gonna be starting the same thing. If a person has the room, why not. Rootstock isn't expensive, but it adds up when you start paying shipping, taxes, etc. Having a few stooling trees will be little work, if any over the course of a year.
I'm thinking grey, you should let the rootstock devolp a little more before you start trying to stool. But keep us posted, I'll be a year or 2 behind you.

 

[Rally1148]

Thanks for the input!

Ed, I'll make sure I put them up soon!


I'm not so much worried about the cost, as I don't have as much room for trees as a lot of people (so buying 5 trees isn't breaking the bank), but I think it'll be cool to learn how to do something new.

Also, as I stated earlier, we have an orchard almost decimated by fireblight. Except for a big crabapple and the one apple almost all the trees have fireblight... but I'm planning on removing the pears completely, and if I replace them I'll use fireblight resistant varieties.
I cut earlier in the year, and I saved a few trunks, but a few I had to cut off almost all of the top. One or two are going to have to be completely removed. I did this back in December. I know it's not the best timing, but I really didn't know if I'd be able to get up there before April, and I'd rather remove the stuff and have to plant a handful of new trees than to have it spread into the trunk and roots on ALL of the trees.