What size rootstock to specify on my order?

[silver_yummies]

I’m going to buy B118 rootstock for next year and want to know what size I should buy? I can do 1/8”, 3/16”, 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2”. I was going to just go down the middle and specify 1/4” unless someone here has better luck with larger? Plan to do the whip and tongue method with existing scion on variety’s I already have.

 

[yoderjac]

You might want to talk to whomever is supplying the rootstock about how they ship it. I've purchased from some companies that send the entire whip and others that cut it off for shipping. If you plan to do W&T, you will want to make sure you can match diameter for the best grafting success. If you get the full whip you any size may work and larger will give you a jump start. I find that scion sizes from GRIN are quite variable depending on what I order. Some are quite small. So, much will depend on your scion source.

This year I ordered 1/4" and the tops were cut off. I was able to find matches with my GRIN scions for most but some I had to graft with single sided alignment.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[silver_yummies]

Yeah, never thought about that and how they might ship it to me. Thanks for the advice and I will ask that very question.

 

[Barndog56]

Whip and tongue works best for me when rootstock and scion match in size. I use a cleft graft if they don't match size.

 

[chickenlittle]

1/4" or 3/8" should be good for w/t. If you gather enough scions of various size, you'll match whatever B118 you get. 1/2" is too big to w/t or cleft graft but ok for budding.