Stool Beds

[IL847]

The rootstock does not cost much but the shipping costs more.I decided to grow my own rootstock for my own use. I bought the root stock below，I would appreciate someone tells me if these root stock can be propagated using stool bed that was discussed earlier.
Mariana 2624
ohxf333
Geneva 41
M27
Ohxf 97

[AndySmith]

Treco.nu includes propagation descriptions for rootstock. That will help with the G.41 and M27. It’s my understanding that Pear does not root well in stooling beds so clonal propagation of pear is usually done by cuttings.

[IL847]

Did not see any info regarding to the rootstock propagation. Do you have link?

[IL847]

It looks like the G41 patent is still valid. Did not see any patent on M27. So I can at least try stool bed of Mariana and M27 which is good enough for me to start

[39thparallel]

OHxF pear rootstock is propagated by rooting cuttings, not stool beds.

[IL847]

Thanks for pointing me to the right direction. So I can just plant the rootstock and harvest the cuttings this fall for rooting

[AndySmith]

Here’s what Treco says:

Nursery Habit - Geneva® 41 produces a few side shoots in the stool bed but the biggest challenge is poor root development–leading to a lower number of salable plants resulting in higher rootstock production cost. The Geneva® 41 produces a tree similar to trees grown on M-9 in the nursery’s.

In the layer bed EMLA 27 is a good grower producing few lateral branches. When lined-out for budding, there are very few rootstock laterals or suckers to remove. EMLA 27 is sensitive to Simazine in the nursery. Under our controlled conditions, EMLA 27 produces a high quality plant similar to that of EMLA 9 and EMLA 26.

[IL847]

Thanks a lot Andy, for finding the G41 rootstock info… I bought these apple rootstocks for grafting crabapple and Chinese Hawthorne. Very likely, I will grow them in larger pots for I don’t have room left in my yard for another tree. I hope the rootstocks can perform well in the pots.

[AJfromElmiraNY]

I’ve seen a case where an established G41 tree (3 years) broke at the graft union. It was immediately regrafted. Several suckers sprouted from the roots and were successfully removed and replanted.

[ILParadiseFarm]

Was it staked at all? This is a concern of mine with several of the Geneva series rootstock, graft union breakage.

[AJfromElmiraNY]

Was it staked at all?

It was staked but not secured to the stake very well. It broke lose in a storm, with full apple load. I regrafted the stump and warned her that the bark graft would probably be even weaker. It is a gala type, which is known to have issues with G41. I’m not sure how much other types of apples are at risk of similar failure.

[IL847]

I did read that some one claimed the graft joint seem easy break off on G41rootstock. AJ’s experience confirmed that thanks for sharing your valuable experiences

[Hillbillyhort]

Gala wood seams very brittle.
A ice storm years ago , broke many limbs on my gala.
Others,… Not so much

[BlueBerry]

Some of these little trees holding up 50 pounds of apples…no wonder they break.

[39thparallel]

@Luongo43 I’m starting over with the stool bed. Last time, I mounted up to much heavy soil all at once killing most of the rootstock. Here is a couple rows of 3yr old M111 I just cut down and started mounding up a bit of lose peat moss over it.

[Luongo43]

@39thparallel wow that looks like a legit stool bed. All those in the bushy looking area are all too sticks grown? How long did it take to grow that tall? You put the peat moss down as soon as you cut the main steam? Thank you so much I’m advance

[39thparallel]

The stick are just weeds where I used to have a welded wire fence. You could probably let the new growth come up then add some kind of lose compost. You can definitely bury it too deep, soon with heavy soil and kill it.

[39thparallel]

Now that I think about it, I will probably pull the peat moss to the side until the new growth comes. I was trying to find something for my kids to do. I made them dump out potting soil from a bunch of old pots.

[Poncho65]

Very timely for this thread to be brought back I am thinking of trying this with a apple my wife’s family has that makes a very nice sized semi dwarf. I have already grafted some different varieties to it and will know how it responds to them in a few years. I am hoping very well. If so then I will have a very good rootstock to use that is very hardy in the z6b that I live in.

[Luongo43]

Good Afternoon,
If anybody is starting a stool bed or has pics of their stool beds I’d love to see them and your process. Hope everybody is being safe