Last spring I grafted two scions to root stocks, a Gravenstein, and a Honeycrisp. Gave one to my father and I kept one. I’m in Central NY Z5 and he is in a warmer zone, maybe Z6. He just told me that his Gravenstein seedling is blossoming. I also am seeing some blossom buds on mine, but they haven’t opened up into flowers yet. What should we do with the blossom(s)? The seedlings seem way too thin to support apples yet. Any help is much appreciated. Ed
I would not let them bear fruit; my thought is that it will demand too much from the tree at a time when it needs to building its “machine”. Let it get more branching, more roots, more reserves before you let it bear and you’ll have a healthier tree long term. (I’ve never grown either G or HC but my understanding from reading here is that HC can be touchy enough with being subjected to unnecessary stress.)
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You confused me, because a seedling is a tree that grew from a seed, not one made by grafting a scion to a rootstock.
A 1-year-old apple seedling blooming, that would be uniquely precious. But a 1-year-old grafted tree blooming is common. I agree with the suggestion to remove the flowers.
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Ok, yeah, sorry, I just said “seedling” as a generic term, but yes they are grafted trees. So, ok, sounds like the consensus is to remove the flowers. Thanks. Ed
I call it babies having babies, not good.
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Ok, so now the 64K dollar question. My father is 83 years old. The grafted tree is 1 yr old. Can we get an apple year two or year three? Hopefully sooner rather than later if you get my drift 
Your father is important, and the tree can be replaced. If he’s excited about the prospect of getting an apple off of the tree I’d say that trumps the tree’s future.
Trees are replaceable.
Go Dad!
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Stake the tree and support the branch that has the apple on it. Bend any more branches it produces this year horizontal, you’ll probably get a few more next year.
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Would you suggest adjusting the feeding or pruning at all in such a case?
What’s the opinion on 1 year old grafts on an established tree blooming? Some Goldrush grafts are blooming now.
The few times I’ve let a new graft bear fruit I’ve felt that it set that branch back a lot. I don’t allow it now.
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Thanks, that’s what I figured!
Easy question. Father first tree number two.
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Does your father have any other apple or crab-apple trees close to the Gravenstein tree (not necessarily his own, but something in the area)? Gravenstein is a triploid variety with sterile pollen, it needs cross-pollination. It is an early blooming variety, so the pollinator should also bloom early (a crab-apple would be ideal).
BTW, looking into the future, your Honeycrisp will also benefit from a cross-pollinator. It’s a late-blooming variety, so good pollinators are varieties like Gala, Empire, Fuji, Spitzenburg.
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Actually he said there is another apple tree in the yard, but that it blooms, but doesn’t bear apples. He said it looks old, and asked if it’s possible that it doesn’t bear because it’s too old. I might ask for a pic or two and post it here for some possible i d help on that tree. He lives in Darien CT, so hopefully there are other apple/crab-apple trees in the area.
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How should he do this? Thanks.
There’s a couple ways to do this. If the branch sprout is small, use a toothpick to establish a flat branch angle.
If the branch is already larger, you can use a branch spreader:
Or use string or rebar tie (with shepherd’s hooks) wire to pull them horizontal
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OK, thanks.