So I’m trying to try out rootstocks for different fruits and I was wondering when I pick a variety as a rootstock, should I care about if I have enough chill hours in the area where I’m planting it?
Obviously I won’t be looking for fruiting the rootstock, but just graft it at some point, so I still care?
My land is in the mediterranean, and the temperature there never drops below 40. So I’m more concerned about not meeting the chill hours requirement of a variety.
Thanks!
Rootstock doesn’t need chill, its just vegetative and doesn’t need to set fruit. Rootstock needs cold hardiness to your winter temps.
Do chill hours only affect fruit set and not necessarily vegetative growth?
Not entirely sure to be honest. I can’t think of a plant that will fail to break dormancy with warm temps, but plenty that don’t go dormant at all (like most blueberries in my area). There may be some effect on vegetative growth, but I don’t think the tree needs cumulative chill hours just to grow, unlike how it does to set fruit properly.