I’m reading this thread and its bringing up a very interesting and tangentially related issue of what rootstocks people prefer. I have read numerous forum posts now very critical of the intensively planted of the Backyard Orchard Culture method, with some people even suggesting its a bit of a conspiracy to sell more apple trees (lol!). For my own romantic notion of a backyard orchard, trees should be a respectable size with a canopy I can sit under (15 to 20 feet max). I also buy into the idea that the more dwarfing rootstocks limit the lifespan of the trees, as does the very extensive pruning they must be subjected to in order to maintain the intensive planting. So I’m only buying semi-dwarf rootstocks in hopes that I can mitigate some of the lifespan shortening effect of the dwarf and miniature rootstocks, while staying a little smaller than the full size, which I don’t have room for. Spacing all my trees a good 12 feet apart so they will form a close canopy but shouldn’t be too obstructive to each other. Would love to hear opinions on this too but it might be a whole 'nother thread lol