Sources for small amounts of geneva rootstocks

General Fruit Growing
#1

I am looking for just a few rootstocks. I plan to start a few stool beds to propogate my own.

I’d like large dwarf or small semi-dwarf around 60% of standard, Something I can keep under 15 feet. Free standing, precocious if possible, but not my ultimate priority. but fireblight is a big problem in my area, so it must be fireblight resistance, which is why I’m leaning towards the geneva rootstocks.

I realize those things may be hard to find on a single rootstock, but recommendations are welcome.

So I was leaning towards something like Geneva 202, or any of the other biggish geneva rootstocks.

The problem is, they are almost impossible to find in small quantities for the backyard orchard. most suppliers require minimum orders of 100 rootstocks. Does anyone know where I can get just a few?

#2

You can buy small quantities of Geneva rootstocks from Cummins Nursery.
http://shop.cumminsnursery.com/shop/rootstocks

If you want to stool your own rootstocks, then you should be careful what roots you get. You will have very limited selection of Geneva roots.
Geneva 202 is still under patent, so propagation is forbidden. Of the Geneva series that is patented, I believe that G.11 and G.65 have gone off patent. But those are smaller size than you want.

I can’t find evidence that G.30 was ever patented, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t and I’m not looking in the right place. Some stuff out there says G.30 is hard to propagate and suffers from a brittle graft union, requiring support.

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#3

Hmmm, ok, so no stooling geneva rootstock eh?

Any other sugggestions that might work? Something fireblight resistant, precocious, and free-standing? size is probably the least important factor. I can prune to manage size.

#4

You might try M7 for a couple of reasons. It should be about the size you want and I have “heard” that it would be easier to stool than others. I would guess they are right by it’s tendency to sucker.

Not Geneva and not fireblight resistant. It still might be worth trying.

I have never done it but am going to try myself someday.

#5

I planted a EMLA 7 last spring from rain tree to make a stool bed. There is a brief thread on here if you search it, I can’t figure out how to link it

#6

Here is the link

#7

Maybe not , that’s just a reply

#8

EMLA 7 might be a good choice. looks about the right size, and it’s fireblight resistant.
I’m in western NY, and fireblight is a serious problem in my area.

there does seem to be some indication that they lean a bit eventually. does anyone know how long that takes?

#9

I had that pointed out to me by @mamuang recently. I think mamuang has some EMLA 7 that had to be staked, maybe we can get some input. one reason I choose it was it was noted to sucker and I thought that tendancy might make it a good candidate for a stool bed.

#10

Grandpas orchard also has Geneva rootstocks. I don’t think any of them are quite as big as m7, but g935 may be close. I know g11 hit 11-12 feet for me pretty quick (2 years I think) when I used to irrigate them.

https://www.grandpasorchard.com/Tree/Malus-Geneva-935-clonal-rootstock

#11

I have M7 on silty clay loam soil in my backyard as well as one tree on M7 in a more sand loam soil. The ones in the silty loam were bare roots, and the tree on the sand loam was potted. All have been in the ground 3 full seasons.

The M7 tree on the sandier soil is leaning bad and is clearly poorly anchored and has a stake. It also is subjected to more wind than my backyard trees. It has been suckering from the roots too. From what I have read M7 will probably tend to lean more on coarse soils, backing up my observations.

The trees on the finer soil in my backyard are doing fine so far, no leaning