I have been grafting primarily on bud 118 rootstock for my Apple bench grafts. I was wondering if any of the experienced grafters on this sit have grafted with bud 118 rootstock and have experienced growth from a bench graft all the way to a mature tree producing fruit/full size growth. How long did it take the tree to mature? I have the same question for anyone who has experienced this for OHxF 87 or 97? I’m just curious. Any photos from year 1 to fruit bearing age would be interesting to see.
I’m interested as well. I grafted all my apples to 118 last year and they grew to 4’ in a lot of cases (grafted 19 varieties). Also grafted 10 varieties of pears to OHxF 97 and they grew well (some really well) but for the most part nothing like the apples on 118.
So far I have had 3 pears and 6 apples (with many just barely waking up so far) flower this season. Really hurt to pick those blossoms. Maybe next year.
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Interesting question, I would imagine it would depend on climate and soil type also. I bench grafted 118, 111 and Antonovka this year, and have OHxF87 on the way to try - so I’m interested in the answer also!
My B118’s are starting their 4th leaf. I had several varieties fruit last year. Pulled most of the fruit as I didn’t want to stunt the growth of the tree. For the most part they seem to be very precocious more so than the G202’s that I planted the same year.
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No fruit yet but i can say:
Better roots than g30, g222,and some other g-200 series i bought, or m111. Not all same vendor though, my results are a single datapoint.
Looks to flower for many varieties in 3-6-foot, second or 3rd yr trees
I want to like b118. What i have seen thus far is encouraging
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I bought D’Arcy Spice as a bench graft on Bud118, from Greenmantle, in 2011. (They don’t normally graft to Bud118. I asked for it specifically and Ram Fishman could provide it that year.) The graft took well and stock rooted firmly. D’Arcy began blooming in the fourth year. It dropped all fruit at the first heat wave every year, so I top-worked Connell Red (just happened to have some; wasn’t really a goal) onto the nurse limb last year. Three leaders grew to 6 1/2 feet in one season.
I like Bud118. Now I’m thinking it needs to be stooled here so I have some every year - just in case. For the record, I haven’t yet tried growing stock that way, but it seems simple enough even I can manage it.
Cool, it’s worked well for me so far