Tree ordering

[Charman03]

I was planning on ordering a bunch of stuff for next spring, but having alot of difficulties finding the types of trees/rootstock combination i'm wanting. ACN offerings are way down this year due to some disease issues I believe they had. Almost all their apples are on EMLA7 this year, I dont have a ton of space for trees and would like bigger trees. Finding very few B118s at other places in trees I want.

That being said, I can see why you guys got into grafting. Looks like i'm going to start myself. Maybe start with 10-15 rootstocks and give it a go next spring. Plan on learning alot in the meantime and try to figure out what I need to do. I will be looking for some scion this winter.

 

[chickenlittle]

Ordering trees is a lot easier when you don't know and care much about varieties and rootstocks. Not better but easier. Grafting helps you get exactly what you want but it takes time. Not every graft takes and not every one that does take is ready to plant out after a year. Patience is important.

I would strongly suggest setting up a nice backyard nursery with good soil, easy to water, and protected by fence. That way you can baby them as needed and plant out when ready. Pots work too but need more watering and then protection from freezing the roots if you keep them in the pots over winter. Once you have a good graft, I try to move them out of the nursery in the fall if possible.

Another option for grafted trees on M7 rootstock would be to bury the graft union when you plant the tree. That will give some rooting above the graft from the scion and will give you a bigger tree than you would get if the graft union is above ground.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Keep an eye on Cummins Nursery. They don't know until late summer / early fall what varieties they've grafted that grew big enough to add to their list for spring sale. I'd keep checking their list on the web - or better yet - call them. (607) 227-6147 for Steve Cummins.

 

[NY_Terrence]

I started grafting in 2014. Set up a small fenced in backyard nursery. Watering the trees every day brings great satisfaction, especially when the property is an hour away. And, I have the varieties I want on the rootstocks I want.

 

[Charman03]

That's really nice NY. I need to look into making myself something like that here. What's size is that and how many trees? What's the soil mixture and how deep? Do you want these in full sun areas?

 

[NY_Terrence]

For the most part, I've followed the lead of CrazyEd and others on the forum. Definitely full sun and watered daily. Weeds are not my friends. The landscape fabric between rows has helped. I think it is 8'x16'. I ordered 50/50 topsoil and mushroom compost in year one. This year, I topped it off with straight topsoil. I have 52 trees now. They are a mix of one- and two-year olds. In the spring I'll transplant all two-year olds and a bunch of one-year olds. I don't have much room left for adding trees on the property, so I plan to give most of them away to family and friends to make room for new grafts.

 

[cavey]

It gets addicting, I’ve found myself starting to become a hoarder/collector of different varieties of fruit trees now. I got into it to try it, had a basic plan – found out I’ve got no plan (I need to be much better at selecting trees for drop times and their placements along with disease resistance) other than just getting more trees. My little garden area I had fenced off to keep out the deer has become my tree depository/nursery. Long term I want to get into making ciders and hard ciders so in part I’m focused on that now. We added 10 varieties this year and have another 25 in the works for this spring.

I suck at bud grafting but have been “lucky” so far with whip grafts… I’m doing a hundred plus trees per year for the last three years. My failed grafts – are going to be my root stock for stooling beds so in the future I will not need to order root stock.

I also second the need for a fenced off nursery area…

Whatever size you choose for your needs, but create yourself a little nursery area to keep the trees in. Some chicken wire, concrete wire mess and some T posts… aluminum window screen, a can of old white latex paint and a shovel, a stapler, a pruning shears and my best buy was a good grafting knife. You don’t need much to get started. How you tape/seal your grafts is your choice I simply use the best cold weather black electric tape i can buy – and am careful when I remove it. Later, transplanting and fencing in your individual trees will be your biggest time and money costs. Oh ya – get a couple band-aids to keep on hand that first year you graft, its not a matter of “if” but “when”… you’ll know what I mean soon enough.

Almost all you will ever need to know about grafting can be gained from the knowledge of those that post here and the links they have provided and the mistakes they have made and the wisdom they have been so generous to share. Graft more than what you need – people love to get apple trees as gifts and you can barter them like gold!

 

[tynimiller]

I have kept eye on Cummins stock and Stark Bros. I'll be honest, hadn't seen much about Stark from guys here or elsewhere but did order about roughly 12 Chestnut trees, half dozen apples and two pears from them last year and so far have been incredibly pleased.

100% survival, and I did not water them. Now all the fruit trees did get mulch around them and all but one chestnut got fencing put around them. The trees came in moist paper mulch and were very healthy looking. I'd recommend them to anyone at least based on my one time experience with them. Really only deal with fruit trees but do have a few others, but no oaks if memory serves me right.

 

[chickenlittle]

I've bought from Stark several times and a tree from Gurney's. I have no complaints with what I received although I don't know the rootstock they used. For apples, I prefer to know the rootstock if I can so I try to buy where I know the rootstock or graft my own. It may not matter what but I want to know in case there are problems later.

 

[tynimiller]

I've bought from Stark several times and a tree from Gurney's. I have no complaints with what I received although I don't know the rootstock they used. For apples, I prefer to know the rootstock if I can so I try to buy where I know the rootstock or graft my own. It may not matter what but I want to know in case there are problems later.

I'll have to look back or visit their site again. I believe they list it but don't quote me on that yet, will check back if I find it.

 

[chickenlittle]

For retail, Stark lists dwarf or semi-dwarf. For wholesale customers I have heard they document the rootstock. I would assume the semi-dwarf is B118, MM106, or MM111. I have used all of those but some soil that would be better with one of those.

 

[mikmaze]

dang, just stopp by a garden center and they have 75% off sale going on, apple trees at 7 foot tall, at or over an inch in caliber 70 dollars regularly, so 4 for 70 is tough to pass up. Arkansas black, Braeburn stayman, cyellow clear, to name a few. might need a set of 4 for NY and another for the NJ property. If I didn't look I'd be better off.

 

[tynimiller]

AB are resistant to diseases but won't pollinate anything. Great trees.

 

[H20fwler]

I've got a few more apple and cherry coming from Cummins in November and about a dozen pear from Stark.

 

[Charman03]

I was able to add a few trees from turkey creek to satisfy my next spring plantings, I'll get into the grafting too.

H2o what cherries have you planted?

 

[H20fwler]

I have a couple Rainier, Bing and Stella..adding a couple Black Gold.

 

[tynimiller]

I do love Stark and their typical free shipping if over a certain amount. I am gonna add more Chestnut Crabs, Enterprise and maybe a few more different varieties this next spring. Probably toss a pear in the mix too.

 

[H20fwler]

I agree with the Stark trees and the shipping...I already have at least twenty pear trees in the ground of thirteen or so different varieties, I've decided to go full on stupid with pears because why not I did it with apples might as well with pears too. So I'm putting in about seven more varieties to get it out of my system for a little while!

 

[TreeDaddy]

.....As to "full on stupid"....

Between plots,trees,and shrubs ,the only 2 months I'm NOT planting is July and August

bill

 

[tynimiller]

I agree with the Stark trees and the shipping...I already have at least twenty pear trees in the ground of thirteen or so different varieties, I've decided to go full on stupid with pears because why not I did it with apples might as well with pears too. So I'm putting in about seven more varieties to get it out of my system for a little while!

Honestly, I see me shifting more to fruit plots with clover around them more the next few years...easy upkeep in the smaller corners or strips of a property. Right now the little orchard/clover plot adjacent to a bedding area is my daytime activity hub! Bucks feed out in it from sun up to sun down it seems....