Selecting rootstocks for espalier

General Fruit Growing
#41

Thank you for posting this, Holly, and my condolences on the Opalescent. Hope the Ashmead’s bounces back nicely for you.

I’ve gone back through your earlier reports as well, and they’ve been extremely useful, especially in terms of the way you worked out the infrastructure of your espalier set-up (so to speak). Really looks terrific, and I look forward to future editions!

I’ve also got an update in terms of rootstock selection. I think I’m going to go with G 935, which seems to be getting very positive reviews from those who’ve tried it here, and the accounts of the spreading growth habit seem to make it a good fit for espalier treatment. Maybe a little more vigor than I need, strictly speaking, but I’m hoping that it will give the trees a little more ability to deal with the setbacks that will no doubt be inflicted upon them by the environment and also, er, me.

Thanks for your help, everyone!

#42

Just got started on my apple espalier yesterday. I have it surrounding a rectangular (30x50ft) vegetable garden. The rootstocks will be a mixture of self grafted MM111’s and seedlings. I expect high vigor and anticipate multiple prunings per season. Main concerns for me are drought tolerance, and bouncing back from gopher attacks. Tops are low chill, precocious apples, eg: Anna, Dorsett Golden. Gordon, Ein Shemer, etc.

#43

anna is quite hardy and fruitfu here in the desert, but seems to be a magnet for borers.
hopefully your area is not infested by these invisible vermin.
extremely disappointing after diligently training your laterals for several years-- and they start withering away :weary:

1 Like
#44

OK I’ll keep an eye out for bark entry sites. I don’t think they’re a problem here – I’d have already observed them before on other Anna trees.

#45

that’s good news