OK, I just know what size is on hand. I may have larger, I’ll look. Running out of space under lights, though.
I don’t know why I never thought to use the dwarf top cuttings as an interstem on top of my seedlings…that’s an excellent idea!
Apple seedlings are pretty tough and adaptable (and the ones that are not get naturally culled darwin style). I would vote for sticking them in a small in ground nursery to finish off if you can, then dig the year after. I personally feel if you have the ground space its a more low maintenance approach, but many leave them in pots successfully as well. I would not put them outside until the temps get a little more “springish” but that’s just me. Make sure to update us on the seedling status as it progresses, I made a specific seedling fruit tree 2021 thread if that interests you! Good luck!
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Hey Mike,
Did you ever post an update on this project? How did these seedlings turn out? Did they get grafted to an established tree?
I am going to try everything, and see what takes. I don’t want to waste a Geneva rootstock I’ve paid for, right? If something doesn’t work,then I’ll know, and I will be no further away than buying more rootstock again. Some of the dwarf tops will be interstem, for apples that aren’t very vigorous. I’ll put those on mm111, interstem the dwarf,should be less than full height but not runty.
The pear rootstock I have wild callery to nurse along the stems, the apples I have to find seedlings or grow something.
I like your style 
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Well, I suppose you can leave them if space is limited…getting a bit root bound is about the worst that probably will happen if you wait until warm weather to up-pot to bigger size.
Sounds nice.
Since I didn’t get any apple harvest in 2020, the only seeds I have to plant this spring are from store-bought apples. I’ll probably plant a flat, and the healthier and more vigorous ones grow into a seedling rootstock.
Two years ago I let seeds from my much-awaited hand pollination sprout then dehydrate in the 'fridge before getting them planted (I didn’t have any grow light or good warm spot to get them going until safe to plant outdoors.)
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Mine are all from other’s trees, I don’t have any to harvest yet. I bet all the York seedlings will be just as prone to fire blight as the parent, so nurse roots they’ll be. I have lots of seed saved from cider trees, and cooking types, they are also an unknown but more likely to see what survives and maybe graft them as scion. Everything came from local-ish orchards so I hope they will be more likely to survive for awhile.
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That being 4 years ago, I grafted 3 or 4 of those Fuji seedlings, some died of neglect, and a couple I’ll probably graft next spring.
I am not so sure Goldrush is more disease free than Fuji.
Anyhow I’ve saved some seeds again. Seeds from a couple hand pollinated, and a baggie of just seeds I may play and perhaps end us using as rootstocks.
Do you think the seedings are less diseases resistant? I grafted a seeding asian pear, it grows OK first few years but after4~5 years, it show more firelight issue. The other pear trees nearby show less or no firelight issue. Not sure this is the same on apple. I do have a Fuji seeding but hesitate to use it as a rootstock.
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Generally speaking, yes, seedling rootstocks are likely to be less disease resistant. This isn’t an issue every instance, but fireblight or canker for instance or root rots might attack seedling at a rate/percent higher than named rootstocks…causing the tree years later to develop issues.
But, before the Malling rootstocks from England, all apples of our grandparents generation got grafted to seedlings. There are other options today, such as the Geneva rootstocks or Budagovsky.
Even the named rootstocks have problems though. MM106 gets root rots in damp soils.
M9 gets fireblight, as does most of the other M series.
Scab or cedar apple rust on a rootstock should not matter much IMO. So, a slight higher risk of a tree having trouble because of a seedling root being less disease resistant…isn’t reason not to do it necessarily.
(Grafts to dwarfing roots may not live more than 15 or 30 years …so if your seedling has problems in 15 years at a slightly higher rate…pick your poison. Some of these seedling trees live to be 100.)
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