I planted a Dabinett apple on G.222 rootstock in April 2015. It has limped along since I’ve planted it. I was doing some weeding today and pulled back the tree shelter and discovered the graft union has a lump. Is it graft incompatibility that is causing this? Maybe a minor mismatch?
Digging in the mulch/dirt reveals that the rootstock did finally put on roots, since it only came with a single root attached…
Don’t take my word for it but doesn’t look like anything to be concerned about to me.
I agree.
The lump is normal but the sluggish growth may be the result of excessive grass encroachment. Establishing trees do much better without the encroachment of grasses, which exude chemicals to retard tree growth, along with the obvious out-competing for water and nutrients. Grasses produce truly awesome root systems. An established tree is in a more dominating position- partially because it can grab the sun before anything beneath it, but fruit trees are kept so open that this never quite occurs. This is why commercial growers almost never grow trees in sod as they need maximum productivity to stay in business.
Looks good to me. I’ve seen many similar form “Professional” growers.
Okay, so I take it I’m fishing for explanations here. Sounds like it is a fine graft union, then.
These photos of the Dabinett/G222 combo should probably be posted under the categories: Where not to plant your apple tree. And: How not to manage your apple tree. The thing that gets me is that every other tree has been effectively managed the same, and this one is the runt. This tree is an outlier in my yard, to be sure.
My back yard is wet. This tree is in the wettest spot along with the Enterprise/M7 combo. Even Bud.9 is doing better despite its reported dislike of wet soil. I suppose it is struggling against the grass and the wet. Probably a hard battle to win. More mulch will make it wetter.
I am hoping to find time to put in some tile to the storm drain inside my lot. I have a fairly large swampy spot near said storm drain that I’m hoping tile will fix.
Mulch doesn’t really make things wetter to the tree for two reasons at least. One, it permits the roots to function right at the surface of the soil and two, worms create a virtual honeycomb of aeration coming from lower to feed on the mulch.
However, in poor drainage areas it always helps to plant trees on mounds- sometimes very high and wide mounds, depending on how wet.
