Thanks for the information
G890 was developed as a free standing tree.
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Knowing this information makes more sense about the “G” series rootstocks. It was my mistake just reading the descriptions and benefits of each rootstock they had. I should have read more into them being more of a commercial type rootstock variety.
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When you get down into the dwarfing range of BUD9, G.11, G.41, etc… Seems like staking or similar is required. Not because the trees/rootstocks themselves are weak so much as the root system is smaller and has less “anchoring”. That’s how it seems from all I’ve read at least…
Anyway, I’ve tried to “remedy” this via interstem with M111 in-ground and a foot-long piece of G.41 (half-buried) between it and the scion. None are large yet but one did get heavy enough to bend over hard. The G.41/Scion (W&T) union had some fairly serious tension. I stood it back up and propped it with a piece of bamboo and has been fine ever since. For the first year or two I do stake many of them, more to straighten up leaners usually though…
Also note that I live in an area where we do not see the crazy kinds of winds some of you see. Plus my home orchard area is fairly protected from wind by surrounding forest.
My goal is dwarf-sized trees (realizing they’ll be a bit larger than G.41 alone would have been) and free-standing. So far so good but time will tell the tale I suppose… Oldest went in-ground in 2020 and just a few of them bloomed this year (deer chewed many of them hard this winter).
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@MikeC, do you have these staked? I couldn’t tell from the photo. Those on either end look to be getting a nice shape to them.
I grafted a couple of G.202 stocks this season—also, several G.969 because they were touted as freestanding. I may be sorry, but guess I’ll join the trial and find out.
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I have had the best luck with the EMLA9/111 interstem combination. It produces a strong rootstock to support the fruit and I have not had to prop up any branches. I stake them for the first three years or so until the main trunk gets thick/ strong enough to be on its own without support. The trees get about 6-8 feet tall or so. That is the perfect height for me to have in my orchard. I wish all my apple trees were on that rootstock combination. I planted most of my apples before I found that combination and saw the tree size it produced.
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I only stake my trees for about the first 3 years or so. Once the roots get established and the main trunk gets thicker I take out the stakes. None of the four trees are staked at present.
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