Hello,
I got a peach tree going into the ground and the scion has a decent angle vs. the rootstock. I’d say if you hold the rootstock plumb, the scion is leaning to one sdie maybe 30 degrees.
Neophyte question as I’ve never come across this situation…
Can I assume the rootstock gets planted plumb & then I work with my rebar stake to bend the tree back to plumb?
vs.
Planting so the scion is straight & the rootock is angled, which didn’t sit right with me…
I’d do what you did. Plant the rootstock straight and train the scion to do the same.
I’m a fan of crooked trunks. If they get chewed on by rabbits or other animals, they tend not to get damaged on all sides while straight trunk trees are more likely to be fully girdled by animal damage. They also look cool as the tree ages. If you want a straighter tree I’d just plant the rootstock at a slight angle to counter the bend at the graft union. If you do go the route of just making it straight via a supporting stake, then it’s good to make sure the stake has enough flexibility to allow the trunk to still move in the wind or else it can become brittle and be more prone to breaking when it’s older.
Twice I’ve planted the rootstock askew so the trunk was vertical. Rooted just fine & the bend becomes less noticeable each year. Not to say it was the preferable choice, just what seemed worth trying. I’d probably do it your way if it comes up next time: plant the stock vertical & bend the whip as much as it will allow towards vertical.
I availed to regrade rootstock for an economy measure. Sure enough a few will need a bit of training.