Thanks for the update on the G890 rootstock. I just planted two different apple variety on the G890 rootstock. Taking a big chance since I had not had very good luck with the G series rootstocks. Some really dwarfed and were spindly.
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I had a Winesap snap off an 890. But I think it might be an anomaly where the two are incompatible.
One casualty from high winds two nights ago, a 5-year old Blenheim Orange separated from its G11 rootstock. However, I donāt fault the rootstock. Two years ago some critter girdled 90% of the way around the tree, right in the vicinity of the graft union.
As a precaution I grafted another Blenheim, but I left the original Blenheim as it was. It appeared to thrive and produced its first apple this year.
I think that is one issue with the G890 rootstocks. I read you have to keep them supported for the first
4 +years or so until the trunk get bigger. Letting the top get too much fruit before the trunk gets bigger will make the top snap off the rootstock. I hesitated getting any apple trees with that rootstock bit that was the only rootstock available at that time. Time will tell. Hopefully my tree will not snap off like that.
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Iāve mostly 3 year old trees on Geneva rootstock. About 25. In my opinion all bud graft trees need serious staking for years. Maybe 5. Maybe 7. I donāt know yet. Face the bud graft into the prevailing wind.
Most of the Geneva series need permanent staking. Regardless of what is written. If in doubt, stake. As does M.7 in my heavy soil.
g.935 I just love.
On the other hand, I just loath m.7.
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I agree with a lot of advice you gave here. I normally keep my trees staked for 4-6 years, depending on how they look at that age and stage of being planted. M-7, I also agree about M-7 - I detest that rootstock.
This happened a few years ago to Akane on G30. Clean break and flat on the ground.
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And Akane isnāt even a child of Gala, which is notorious for not binding well to Gen30. I looked up orangepippin.com to find Akane the product of Jonathan & Worcester Pearmain. Sorry for your accident.
Looking up Gala, am reminded it is Kiddās Orange Red (Cox Orange Pippin x Red Delicious) x Golden Delicious.
Me too
I suspect that culture is at least partially to blame in many of these cases. All of the photographs I have seen in test orchards show them growing in more of a bush form than the broken ālolipopā I often see in Geneva rootstock fail photos. I suspect that the ālolipopā form may be resulting in more leverage on the graft union than the bush form.
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Lost 4 more trees this year, all clean snaps, all my cleft grafts, 4-6 yrs. old. Iām getting too old to regraft and replant. Do your research before you plant, if I were able to do this again, I would use MM106. What a heartbreaking waste.
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My current two 10 year old G-30ās and two G-935ās have had no problems although I prune them to 6-8 feet to avoid ladders. I had two other G-30ās that I had to stake until they out-grew a 30 degree lean about age 6.
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I have three G series rootstocks- G202 (2) and one interstem G11/MM111. I had another interstem but it was so scrawny I took it out this year. No issues with the graft breaking on them. One of the G202 is very small yet the other G202 is three times as big, go figure.
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Apparently gophers find any apple stock fair game. I lost Sundance on MM111 and Redfield on Gen202 in the last six months. Roots severed in both cases. The Redfield was in place five or six years, carrying a decent crop.
Did they have fruit on them? If so, how much? Did you thin the apples at all?
I agree, they told me the same thing when I emailed them. At one point they gave me a couple of their G series rootstocks that would do okay without being permanently staked.
I do not like to have trees I have to permanently stake. It is something that makes it hard to work around in my orchard.
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I lost a Winecrisp on G.11 in a windstorm last week. It snapped off cleanly at the graft union. Second tree this year on G.11 to do that. Both were secured to a trellis but apparently there was still enough movement for it to snap. Frustrating.
Iām kinda trending away from dwarfs all together but I think Iāll avoid any geneva rootstock if I can.
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I think that is a good idea, avoiding the G series altogether. I hate losing trees that way.
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