I am looking to stool or otherwise make rootstock from a nanking cherry and myrobalan plum, maybe an apple rootstock. I have looked at several posts here and youtube videos, but most are focused on subsequent years.
How much space does the rootstock need for growth? Obviously MM111 needs more space, but how much space for a dwarf (below M26 size)? Can I put these in a bucket or container and later cover with sawdust or peat? I have 3,4,5,6 gallon buckets, but I think they are all about 12 inch diameter. Kitty litter buckets are about the same, maybe 4 gallon. Is this size enough for growing or just for growing out liners? Does it matter how big the bucket is for sawdust?
I am looking to establish an area with fence, and determining size.
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Hi Francine,
You can tell how many rootstocks a plant will produce by counting its growth buds that are available to produce new shoots! To stool you need to cover those buds with a moist medium, so if you plan to stool more than just a few shoots using the lowest limbs only you need to be able to cover those particular bud joints as the bud grows so that each bud establishes its roots in the medium.
I think the use of pots is a bit more limiting so I plan to stool a Morus Alba this spring using the method where I plant the tree at a 45 degree angle from vertical. Once I have planted the roots, then I will bend the tree over to be parallel to my soil surface so that each bud on each limb has the opportunity to grow vertically as I cover the tree itself with moist medium. As soon as I see each shoot growing vertically, I will begin covering each shoot with my moist medium. Using this method it’s very easy to determine how much space I need. My plant in a laid down position measures 3’ high with 6” of roots, and the limbs spread out to about 24” each side, so I know I need a space that is about 3.5’ long by 2’ wide.
I hope this gives you an idea of how to estimate the space you need for each tree. I think there is a video of this process last time I searched
Dennis
Kent, wa
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I will probably use the trench method then. I was hoping to do this in a movable form, thus the buckets. Maybe a raised bed in case I need to eventually move this.
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Do you have a picture of your stoolbed? I hate paying shipping costs on rootstock and I wanna be able to graft a lot more since my rates haven’t been great. I have some m.111s from failed attempts I’d like to stool
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Hi Frank,
In the pic the jug is in the location of where I planted the Morus Alba back in March
I then pinned all limbs down to the ground ((would be to the left in the picture) and covered all buds with compost
As the buds opened they grew vertical and I added more medium as they grew. A squirrel was digging one day and broke off several but there are now 8 surviving rooted Morus Alba all within about 8 square feet
Dennis
Kent, wa
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Wow thank you for this picture. Been so hard finding somebody to post a pic of a newer stool bed. I tried the stooling method cutting a rootstock pretty much to ground level. I got new Growth on 1 bud location but nothing came up fro the roots. The other sites I tried all died off. I will try this method. I have 2 rootstocks I grew out (1 in middle is where I tried to cut it to base) can I take these out of the pot and bury them how you did and hope to see new shoots being sent up next year if all goes right?
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Tonight before I water this one I will strip off the lower leaves on each vertical, add more compost up to remaining foliage and water in thoroughly including the original roots.
Dennis
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So say I wait till March/April to plant my existing rootstock the methods you did (I live in NY) hopefully the growing season will shoot up new growth through the buds and then I cover little at a time with a medium to encourage root growth. Should I prune my existing branches or just bury it the way it looks?
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