So when does M-111 production catch up with a dwarfing rootstock?

Looks good Chris. It appears like you had previously bent some limbs. My not so experience with FB is that most of my damage has started around bloom time but I realize that is not the only time that it can be a problem. Goldrush is known for its FB resistance and my thought are that you will have no issues. CAR yes but not FB. Good luck, Bill

applenut, Would m111 work well for a 8 foot wide belgium fence? If not what would you suggest? Thanks! - Paul

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Here is Sansa or Zestar on M-111. Did this from second year in ground.

Mike

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So impressed with your espaliers, even if Sansa and Zestar are precocious and ideal candidates for your system. You are making fruit happen.

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Looks great on a horizontal cordon. I’m surprised that you got second year production. Do you think it would work for a Belgium Fence? I’m wondering if the trunks and the branches may get too thick and ruin the whole idea of a Belgium Fence that close together. Also would there be enough room for the roots that close together? Another concern would be how long they would take to fruit at a 45 degree angle as opposed to 90 or more.

@pjadams

A Belgian fence is nothing more than a bunch of these planted in a line… So yes I think it would work. And don’t worry about the root proximity.

The trunks and scaffolds (branches) do grow and thicken as would a regular tree.

Take a look below to a post I made earlier this year. Note I said “second year in the ground” not that they were two years old…having been bought as bare root.

Keep in mind that it is you who controls the growth and spread. Just look at what human intervention accomplishes with bonsai trees.

Mike

@alan

I am working on a treat for our members here (Anyway, I hope they will see it as a treat) .

This year I started taking weekly photos of the differeent apples, pears etc from bloom time to harvest.

As soon as I have a little time I will try to put a slideshow/timelapse of some cultivars from bud through harvest showing progress on a weekly basis.

Mike

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Please do! But only if you do have time- these things can take on a life of their own.

Looking forward to seeing it.

I have grafted budwood of m27 onto m111 and made a nice shape tree that is precocious, better anchoring with strong winds. You can do the same thing with g-11.

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:blush: thanx

Mike

MM111 is my new favorite stock, after years of dwarfs runting out I really appreciate the vigor. I’m seeing a couple years delay in fruiting compared to dwarf which is not so bad.

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Yeah, once your orchard is producing, but if you are anticipating your first crop- not so much.

How soon varieties bear on any given rootstock also has a ton to do with soil and cultivar. You seem to experience close spacing as an accelerator to fruiting as well.

Most trees in my nursery are on 111 and usually by the time I install them they bear soon enough being already at least 4 years in my nursery, on average.

But some sites some varieties can take a very long time to come into bearing even with these older trees if the soil and variety inspires vigor. Goldrush, Zestar, Jonathon, Honeycrisp and other reasonably precocious types save me at such sites.

Also, at sites that inspire vigor, 111 means I will be doing a lot of pruning on all but spurry varieties like Goldrush.

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Scottsmith, B-118 will give you fruit about 2 years faster than M-111. Considered that option?

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G-969 is a newer rootstock that seems to potentially have a lot going for it. Apparently it gets a little bigger than G-41, has the good qualities of G-41, and several online articles indicate it has the potential to produce a free standing tree. That would be about an ideal rootstock for me if staking is not needed.

https://extension.psu.edu/apple-rootstocks-capabilities-and-limitations

http://treefruit.wsu.edu/article/2017-geneva-rootstock-tour-observations/

Page 31 of this pdf makes an interesting observation showing how different rootstocks absorb nutrients based on different PH levels of the soil. It seems to indicate that G-969 actually performed better at a lower PH level which would be great for me if true with my 5.0 Georgia clay:

I have 10 of the G-969’s on order with Cummins for spring delivery, guess I will report back in a few years with some results.

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I’m buying trees not stocks so don’t really have much of an option, but even if I was buying a bundle of rootstocks I might get MM111. Its been tested heavily in the US for many years and is very reliable. I had too many issues with the “latest and greatest” rootstocks over the years.

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I mostly started out with M111 and if I was starting over I would still use it. My system is different in that I use a Bud9 interstem. It is amazing how much the interstem tames the top while providing a well anchored tree. These trees are about three years and it is early to determine long range how they will perform.

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For vigorous growers, that dwarfing interstem is very helpful (Fuji, Jonagold, Baldwin, Winesap, etc.), but I wouldn’t grow the likes of Goldrush, Ark Black, or even Honeycrisp and Pink Lady and Yellow Delicious on it.

I believe in balancing rootstock to variety and site. But I’m not growing apples commercially, and nowadays that’s mostly done on bushes. That’s what makes the Cornell rootstocks potentially so useful, because those bushes are easily killed by fire-blight on traditional rootstocks.

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How are your interstems doing for you?

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@Jwsemo hey man do you have any pictures of your M111 trees? i’d love to see how yours look pruned open center, thanks

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