I’m hoping to graft out a bunch of jujube this spring since grafted trees are soooo pricey. Does anyone know where I can get some rootstocks to be shipped to me?
Also, what are the differences between sour jujube and seedling jujube as rootstocks?
Thanks,
Jesse
I’ve seen them for sale occasionally in the past, but it is not that common and they cost way more than other rootstocks, often ~20, rather than the 3-4 that more common fruits like apple sell for. My prices may be a couple years out of date, as I haven’t been in the market for rootstocks for a while.
You could try to plant seeds, but unless they do a lot better for you than they do for me, it will be quite a few years until they are as big as the trees you can buy. Maybe they size up faster in CA or TX. But for me, it takes 3-5 years for seedlings to be almost as big as the trees you can buy,
I’d suggest getting a few trees to get started and then while they are producing, you can take your time to get any others sized up. Trees do often send out a sucker or two, but it can take a while. Figure at least 2-3 years for the 1st one, which you would then want to dig without hurting the mother tree (not easy if it is too close to the trunk).
I started keeping better records on my jujube seedling in 2023. I planted 225 seeds, spread over 50 pots. Directly sowing seeds in the ground rarely works, at least for me.
After the 1st year in pots, I planted the largest 22 in ground.
After a 2nd year, of all the ones that grew, this is by far the largest:
Note the fence- without it, rabbits eat the small seedlings. Here is a pic of two more, which are more average in size of the ones I planted in the ground for the 2nd year. Keep in mind that these are still well above average, of the 225 seeds planted.
Do you just stick the seed in a pot to grow them? Any damaging the hull needed?
I crack the stony pit with vice grip pliers. If you try to do this when you first eat the jujube, the pit will be too flexible and will just mush. If it has dried for a bit, it shatters and the seed falls out unharmed (as long as you have the right setting on the pliers).
I wrapped the end in my shirt to keep the seed and pits from flying. You don’t want to lose the seed or step on the pits later 
Results:
Sometimes, it will take more than one try, as the pits can be pointed and sometimes the points just break off. That’s why I often start in the middle setting and move the pit into the tighter part, as needed. It keeps me from having to fiddle with the setting too much.
I saved way more pits that I need, so I’d be happy to share if anyone wants to grow them.
I would like to get a hold of a bunch of jujube seed.
Sure, send me a PM with your address (and to be clear- I send the pits, you can crack them yourself )
This is quite hard to find.
My current “plan” is to let my jujubes grow (I planted them this fall) and then take suckers from the rootstocks to graft new varieties. You can dig the suckers.
I also have an air layered Li that is in its own roots, that’s also an option.
