You just have to perform due vigilance. Vigorous rootstocks B118 and MM.109 both lean. I just assume all apple trees can lean or get blown over, So a strong support is a must.
If you have high Wooly Apple Aphid pressure be aware that they love both M111 and BUD9. I have trees on M111, as well as M111/BUD9 and M111/G41 interstem. BUD9 above ground I’ve more than once found to be covered in white fluff. On am M111/G41 I was up-potting this year. I removed the dirt after noticing some white and discovered they were all over the M111 roots. A few inches of the G41 was underground and had formed roots as well. The aphids stopped precisely at the graft line though, they were not on the G41 part at all. I then inspected 4 more and all were identical. Anyway, FYI…
4 Likes
I like the M111/EMLA 9 interstem combination for tree size and fruit production. If I had know this about this rootstock combination I would had all my trees on this rootstock. Plenty of fruit you can pick from the ground without ladders or picking poles to use. Easier to spray and to prune.
1 Like
Definitely a great combo for production with all M9 clones.
1 Like
One of the reasons I want to use dwarfing rootstocks is for the precociousness. =) I did plan on staking and trellising.
Do any of you have thoughts on B 10?
You won’t find a semi dwarf rootstock that is as well anchored as a standard one. I would try to keep the old trees. Get a sprayer with a pump, pole pruner. Need to spray myclobutanil in the spring for CAR.
Ironically P.22 is said to have larger and less brittle roots then M9 and M26. That is a serious dwarf though. P.2 is fairly dwarfed in my heat zone though. And P.22 is just over half the size of P.2.
I am going to order a handful of P.22 to see just how small it is in our heat. Put a few in ground and in large pots.
Idea: For the ones that are not knocked over, you could cut to a stump and do a bark graft. Then, you could get the vigor from the old roots, but you’d be able to prune and shape your tree and have a variety you want. It’s actually a lot easier to graft than I thought it would be.
You can always change your mind later and remove it and put a new tree.
Instructions in case you want to try grafting: pick the variety, order the scions (or ask for them, or ask someone with a tree you like… ). They are usually sent in spring (in early spring/late winter before buds swell). Then, when “the oak leaves are the size of a mouse’s ear” you cut your tree to a stump and follow any of the bark/rind grafting tutorials (or youtube videos).
We have had good luck with Bud 10 here in WI. More vigorous than Bud 9, still probably would want to stake. I would compare it to M26 in vigor. Varieties I would AVOID in terms of CAR - Wealthy, Goldrush, Crimson Crisp, Nova Spy. Enterprise and Nova Mac are resistant to scab and CAR. Arkansas Black is basically CAR immune, but does get scab bad in wet years. Ruby Rush is a really good newer disease resistant apple that I have not seen CAR on. I would say we have CAR pretty bad here, but I have seen worse elsewhere. We have also had good luck with G890, although all our trees are trellised.
Not to detour from the topic too badly, but have you tasted your rubyrush yet? Can you post about it?
My Arkansas black I planted 2 years ago is full of CAR but it’s growing well besides that.
But it does seem that all the variety’s I grow that are supposedly CAR resistant aren’t for me.
I am eating a Ruby Rush right now - it is more sweet than tart, reminds me of a Fuji a bit but with more acidity to balance. Maybe a little floral? I recommend looking at the review on the Adam’s apples blog though…he is better at describing flavors than I am. Good, solid eating apple. The biggest reason I like them is because they are so beautiful and easy to grow and a great seller at market. We just put in 100 more this spring.
2 Likes
Was that a particularly early one or is the bulk of your Ruby rush ripening now?
1 Like
Re: the EMLA111/Bud 9 interstem.
I did decide to go with this. I didn’t end up ordering ACN trees. I ordered EMLA 111 and Bud 9 rootstock + scion wood.
I read a bunch of threads discussing the interstem and decided the pros outweighed the downsides.
Would like to hear thoughts on this plan:
Do the grafting all at once. Scion to bud 9 then bud 9 to EMLA111, with the interstem 8-12" long. After growing them in a nursery area in my yard (realistically it will be for a year), I’ll move them and bury half the interstem. Though I might leave a couple unburied just to see how different it is.
I also ended up ordering some G210. Even with grafting difficulties reported I am hopeful. I need something for some spots where I’m worried about replanting and low vigor. Also wanted more precociousness than the big rootstocks.
2 Likes
I highly recommend that you get either G11 or G213 or G214 rootstock because they are highly disease resistant and vigorous dwarfing rootstocks.
As for Apple trees that have good flavor and are extremely resistant to the many diseases that Apples are prone to, I would strongly recommend Galarina and Liberty. Again, these are easy to care for because they are highly resistant to problems.
If you have space for three, then add Freedom to the mix.
The first two (Galarina and Liberty) are known to have better flavor.
For specific details on these varieties (with videos) and for a reliable source check out Cummins Nursery.
I have purchased from them in the past, and their selection is excellent and arrive in perfect condition.
I also recommend that you buy a 100 gallon cloth pot from Vivosun for each tree, and good potting mix like Happy Frog. Plant the trees there for one year to let the roots develop a bit more. This will increase the chances of success significantly. The trees also grow faster in these pots.
Here are the links to each specific cultivar:
Galarina on G214:
Liberty on G935 (semi dwarf - Unfortunately the dwarfing stock G11 is out for the season)
On Cummins Nursery website you will get information on which diseases they are resistant to, and you will learn why these are top choices.
Note: I have experimented with M9 and M7 rootstocks also. They do not even come close to comparing with the Geneva rootstocks. Another excellent reason why you should get Geneva rootstock is that they are not known to root sucker.