Rootstocks from sprouting shoots at base of plant

General Fruit Growing
#1

Hello all hope you are well,

Last year i graftes some mm106 rootstock apple trees and put them in pots. This spring a few small shoots have sprouted from around the base of the tree in the pot. I have pulled them up and potted them and they seem to be growing. My question is, would these be mm106 rootstocks, and could i graft these in years to come?

I did read in rj garner’s grafting book that rootstocks could be propagated by growing the rootstock, cutting it back down to near soil level and then covering it with soil. I’ve obviously not did this with the trees because i want them to grow but im wondering if the shoots that have popped up might be similar…

I’ll try and post a picture soon

Thanks,

Jamie

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#2

Yes and yes. I did what your referring to a few years ago with M111 root. The sucker will be the same as the root from which it came (clone).

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#3

Traditional clonal rootstocks are propagated by stooling which means piling up dirt against a trunk of the tree that is the rootsock and pulling the suckers free to be rootstocks for new trees after growing them out for a season. Burr knots are the marker of the ability of bark tissue to generate new roots.

Some common varieties like Red Delicious, Gala and N. Spy share this ability and can even be propagated from cuttings.

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#4

Thanks guys, that is great information and i appreciate you taking the time to share it. I’ll pot a few of them on graft them in a few years i suppose.

Jamie

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#5

Should work, if there are any roots at all on the sprouts you’ve pulled off the parent tree.
Good luck.

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