I have a cortland apple that the graft died on. The rootstock came back with a vengeance. Will it be worth anything ?pollinator for other apples ?should I try my first graft. ? Cut it back to a single trunk.
Thanks.
I would cut back to single trunk on right of picture then graft next spring
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Do what carlin said but if it is a Fireblight resistant geneva rootstock, consider letting it grow out another year to develop scaffolds and some laterals off them. Then graft to the laterals. That way if you get FB you lose a lateral instead of a scaffold or entire tree - at least in theory.
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Ok to cut back to single trunk now? No idea of the rootstock. It was a tree I got at tractor supply.
Probably not a geneva root from tractor supply. Then if it was me id leave one branch as a nurse and try to find at least 4 spots to stub back and cleft graft now if you can find some new growth from another tree that has hardened up a bit and use it for scion. Pull off all the leaves and leave 2-3 buds, wrap the graft tight with elec tape then wrap the entire thing including the whole scion in parafilm. You should get some takes and maybe end up a little ahead of where youd be if you waited til next spring.
Lots of suckers. Wonder if M7 or M9 as the google says those like to sucker. Not sure what to graft it with. Had good luck with my stark trees but 1 for 2 on those tractor supply trees and 1 for 2 on Lowe’s trees. Probably use some of my own trimming next spring
How adventurous you are? Do you know how to graft? If the answers are “no” on both, If I were you, I would not rush it.
You can remove the left trunk now and let the rest of tree grow. You probably will have a few good scaffold to graft next year. You can turn your tree into a multi- grafted tree next spring.
In the meantime, use the search engine in this forum to learn about grafting, pruning, apple varieties, scion exchange, etc.
By this coming winter, you can start asking for scionwood knowing what varieties grow best in your climate and know how to graft (at least in theory).
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Yea. It’s 90+ here already. I’ll wait for winter/spring to attempt my first graft.
Go ahead, remove the left trunk at theground level now. The tree can use its energy to feed one trunk.