Raising your own apple tree root stocks

Previous videos dealt with scion and grafting techiniques, here's one way to raise stocks. These are shoots that grew up from the roots of a tree on MM106 rootstock I cut down a year (not 2 years as I misspoke in the video) ago, and I heaped up some earth round the base to help with rooting.
You could take this further by digging up roots and planting them out in fertile spoil and watering and weeding them. Thisvideo is about opportunistic ue of suckers. I have planted these rooted suckers out and will see how they do over the year, and aim to graft them in 2012.

[@immerueberall]

Great video. I have some dwarf apple trees which I understand to be grafted onto MM106 rootstock. Over the past 12 months there have been three shoots coming up from the rootstock, which I severed and planted into pots. All three are thriving. Now I will have to learn how to graft apples......

[@nospamhere1]

Stephen, I have watched a number of your videos and want to thank you for your effort in showing us your techniques. Grafting and propagating fruit trees is fun and rewarding. Nice job again.

[@karenabrams8986]

So many of my questions got answered here. I’m into a 5 year relationship with an Apple tree in my back yard. I ignored it initially. It’s an ugly duckling of a tree. Then I tried the apples and they are wonderful! Greenish-yellow with a slight pink blush when they’re ripe. So I’ve figured out the pruning on it which was hard. It was allowed to do whatever it wanted for a long time and I will probably never get to goblet shape. I’ve always wondered why the trunk looks all gnarly and has dark rough bark that seems to stop at various points that transition to light grey-brown naked limbs. The palest of all the naked branches is one that should have been pruned in this things infancy and is as big around as my forearm now and it sticks straight up through the middle like it’s flipping me off. I have fallen in love with this ridiculous looking tree and would like to make it some babies. Lol

[@BrettPrice1983]

Thank you Stephen. Your a wonderful teacher.

[@toddbarnert3515]

Sounds good for nice. I guess I will do it on a larger scale. Now I highly recommend to separate the cuttings for the part when you plant them then when you dig them up each one will have a larger root system and they won’t be competing against each other, and you wouldn’t have to clip them apart.

[@stephenhayesuk]

PS I have kept scion wood cool and damp wrapped in polythene in my fridge from March to May. My advise is to cut the scion wood as late in the winter as near as you can calculate it based on your local conditions ONE MONTH before the first sign of growth is expected to be seen. Cut later, the wood may have started to move, so may be shocked by cutting, earlier and it has longer to dry out. I stress that this is based on my reasoning and experience, not based on proper research. I'm an amateur.

[@stephenhayesuk]

@memberson Thanks. Its always worth planting fruit trees, but it sounds as if you are putting these very close together. As a rule, 6 feet apart is the absolute minimum even on ultra drawf root stocks and with intensive summer pruning. You can try and see how it goes, but if I understand you right and you are planting trees 24inches apart, I fear you may have to remove some of them in a couple of years. My trees are too close at 9 feet apart, 12 feet would be better. kind regards

[@stephenhayesuk]

@fryloc77 thanks. Yes, my studies have convinced me that here are various ways to grow fruit succesfully, a lot depends on factors like soil, climate, variety, etc. Long live Dave Wilson and all others involved in passing on knowledge. This is the way i do things in my orchard in southern Hampshire, Old England. Its not the only way and the more people videolog about what they do where they live the more the knowledge gets spread.

[@stephenhayesuk]

yes, you can certainly graft aples on to aples raied from seed. however, you should regard this as an experimental project. If you want to graft seriousy to build up an orchard, it is a poor way to save money as the vigour and overall health of the stocks will be wildly unpredictable. This may not become apparant for several years. IF they are bad, you will have wasted precious time. Buying in root stocks is not that expensive, as I show you can propagate from a known stock, much more reliable

[@nigelohr]

Yet another exceptional tutorial - I'm now going through this proccess in preparation for grafting next year. Many thanks again, Stephen.

[@stephenhayesuk]

NB these stocks have been grafted on to and the grafts are growing away very well. I posted a video about them a month ago.

[@stephenhayesuk]

I have not tried it, but it could work as far as I know. Cherry trees tend to send up suckers. Beware of using wild cherry seedlings, you can graft on to them but they will usually make enormous trees-see my bluebell wood video which shows some cherries about 40 feet tall at 20 years old! If you want to graft a cherry tree I strongly advise to buy a dwarfing rootstock from a nursery.

[@stephenhayesuk]

Hi, yes, that's what I did. Will post video shortly, in fact I did put a bit about them on a recent grafting video. I was looking at them today and they seem to be alive but its too early to say for sure. The MM106 stock makes a good medium size tree in most soils, can be grown big in good soil or kept reasonably dwarf by summer pruning. It has good disease resistance and longevity. It is not ideal for very dwarf or very large trees, but is a reliable all round general purpose apple stock.

[@semperfi6801]

After much google research, reading over scientific and research documents your video was absolutely the simplest explanation of what a root stock is and how to get it. Thank you so much! Can you explain one more item for me? Are the numbers given to root stock just a reference to the type of tree IE. dwarf, semi-dwarf, etc...

[@stephenhayesuk]

jeff holbrook ThanksJeff. The numbers are arbitrary, chosen by the people who raised them . They are different in Europe, UK and USA. For example, M25 is a very large stock, M26 medium and M27 very small. I have most experience with MM106 and find it very reliable and useful for all purposes other than ultra-dwarf or massive.

[@ashishjanartha8223]

Great to see you. Dear sir could you please give me some advice for rootstock m 111 preparations, if you don't mind. Please tell me how can i make m111 type of rootstock

[@Halo3Rippin]

This is a great video. Thanks!

[@stephenhayesuk]

@theracemixer These root stocks will never give any useful fruit unless they are grafted. The stock (MM106 in this case) is a clone of a particular apple which was raised by trial and error to give a uniform, healthy root stock of a predictable size and other desirable qualities. To get apples, you need to graft a suitable variety on to a stock, such as these. If these grow well and are grafted in spring 2012, all being well there could be some first fruits on them in about 5 years.

[@applenaut]

@memberson Research your rootstocks. Even if your cherries are on Giselle 5 and the peach on St.Julien A, they will completely over grow your apples. My suggestion would be to plant the cherries in one hole and the apples in the other.Most apples need X pollination so it would be wise to have them close together.Also make sure if you plant a triploid apple that you have proper pollination partners. Peaches are self fertile and do well espaliered against the house.Some cherries are SF others not

[@applenaut]

@TTLM77 Rootstocks are reproduced in stool beds then planted out. To plant seeds would make a new apple variety which would most likely be a standard size tree 30-40ft x 30-40ft. When pollen from one apple variety is deposited on the pistil (stigma) of another apple variety, the seeds in the apple formed contain 50% of the genes from the pollen donor and 50% of the genes from the blossom carrier. Just like humans, the resulting seeds in that apple (baby) are a mixture of the two varieties.

[@GraftingTactick]

Awesome 👌 💕🍃🌿☘🌴🌱🌲

[@fryloc77]

@stephenhayesuk Hi Stephen, sorry to but in on your conversation. What memberson is doing is called high-density planting. Its is common here in california and for people who have small gardens or backyards. The idea is to plant 3 trees in a triangle slightly tilting outwards and to be 2 feet apart in every direction. Then one would prune the middle of tree so no branches cross and trim branches with outward facing buds. People do plums, peaches, nect., pears any deciduous trees

[@QUARTERBAT]

@TTLM77 Great videos. I've been given a MM106 apple and a St Julian 'A' plum root stock by my local garden centre. I'd like to propagate them in the same way as this video . There about 1 inch in diameter . and 18 inches tall with some very thin branches at the bottom. when is the best time to cut them down to ground level and plant them out, do | cut the small banches off at the bottom which will be underground when planted. There in 4 inch polthene pots at the moment. A hopeful enthusiast.

[@vincentdesaulniersbroussea8639]

Hello and thank you for the video. If I was to bench graft these trees, when should I collect the rootstocks and scions? I believe both have to be dormant for bench grafting to work, so both should be harvested at the same time? Sorry if you talk about this in some of your other videos, there's just so many ! THanks!

[@Teorispa]

I've got a couple of quince and one pear rootstock dug up from beneath some pear trees and planted them out this year to occupy the space where once stood (barely) some dead cherry trees. I dreamed a dream of sticking strong watershoots on the ground last year, hoping they would set root, but no luck there. Can these trees be propagated by cuttings?

[@K4lr0b]

Actually, you CAN graft apples to other trees such as quince trees, here in Peru they graft apples to quince and they do great.

[@Njoy147_3]

Agree. I am from Poland and I grafted on pear rootstock

[@lloydrawlinson8590]

Hi Stephen. Is it best to graft dormant scion wood to near bud rootstock or can I graft dormant scion wood to dormant rootstock? Reason I ask is because rootstock is usually bare root, thus dormant right? Or am I missing something? Some KZbin Videos show grafting using this last method.

[@KwaiTerk]

wow, great video, I learn something new. I want to cut down my cabb apple trees. I was wondering if that would be good for growing root stocks? If yes, when is the best time to cut and what kind of component needed to make it root? I live in a hot/cold environtment. Midwest USA.

[@stephenhayesuk]

Sorry for late response, I am now getting so many questions I can't always deal with them. You can certainly plant stocks in April, although it is a bit late. Plant any time from when leaves fall until they start to grow again, generally November to March. However you cannot graft in fall with any hope of success. Union cannot take place unless active growth is happening, and the tree will be dormant from fall (autumn until spring. I only ever graft in spring. You can however BUD in summer.

[@QUARTERBAT]

@stephenhayesuk good videos I've watched them a few times . I've put some apple tree cuttings in a bath on my allotment, I'm trying to get some dwarf root stock but this isn't proving to be that easy. Well explained as well .

[@zombieland6484]

Sir. I like your presentation as well as your work. Questions: I grew small trees last year from seeds I purchased the apples from the local market. When do I get the Scion branches and where? From existing older trees? I watched closely at what you are doing. Do I need to do that to the trees in order to obtain fruit? Or will the trees i've grown already produce? Once again, thanks for your video.

[@stephenhayesuk]

Hi. Apple trees do not grow true to variety from seed (pips) it is necessary to graft bits of wood from known varieties (scions) on to rooted apple trees (stocks). I have put up several videos about this.

[@tikamsharma7323]

How root stock is graded into different verities as M27,M9,M26,M6 & MM106? If you know please share it will be helpful.

[@poopstreek]

I have a place in my yard where an apple tree used to be, and there are 30 sprouts (each about a foot tall) coming up where it used to be. I mowed around them last summer figuring I would let one go and become another apple tree. Should I dig them up and separate them, or will I kill them all doing so? They are very dense, and I think digging them up would tear them up too much. Also, should I thin them before I attempt to dig them up?

[@lazaglider]

Yes, in theory, however creating your own source of rootstocks is much easier if you plant a small number as layers.

[@hightrailshomestead]

Can i just take a rootstock and plant it and grow an apple tree from it? Or do I HAVE to graft onto that rootstock in order to get an apple tree and apples?

[@clv101]

Hello - if these little M106 rootstocks are left to grow into full trees, what will the tree be like? After a few years, could you take cuttings from this M106 tree and get them to root (maybe with rooting hormone?) to supply a source of rootstocks?

[@lukekelly2892]

so do you have to cut down the original tree for the rootball to produce new shoots or would it happen eventually anyway

[@babalizzard]

I am trying to grow some apple trees from apple seeds, and i know they will turn out to be hibreads from the apple tree the fruit came from but, i was just wondering when i get them growing where could i get cuts off a good apple tree to graft onto them? In other words use my trees as root stock.....

[@dannyhardy3295]

If I baught a granny smith root stock and then grafted other apple tree scions onto it, can I let the root stock create branches to get granny smith apples or would I only be able to get the apples from the scions I grafted onto the root stock?

[@fryloc77]

I forgot to mention but Dave Wilson trees who have a youtube page show this on a few of their videos in reference to high density planting. Thanks

[@NewEnglandgardening]

So you are going to replant those suckers and let them build up roots for another year and then graft to them? What are the benefits of M106 root stock? I'm going to try grafting different fig tree varieties I have.

[@stephenhayesuk]

Matt Shuldiner, for some reason I can't reply direct to you. MEMLA 27 is indeed the weakest growing rootstock, good if you want a small tree. In my conditions, its very weak and after 1 trial I wouldn't consider using it, but its probably the best one to use in a restricted space of pot. You would have to take that into account and make sure it had good rich soil and plenty of water. Evidently it does propagate, or it wouldn't exist.

[@stephenhayesuk]

@TTLM77 Commercially its the same process, just done with more care.

[@Juandan59]

Hi Stephen, can you tell me how I can encourage suckers to grow from my plum tree, I have tried every where to find plum rootstock, I want to do some plum tree grafting.

[@13harr]

I'm still learning about rootstocks. Are rootstocks shoots that come up from an existing tree? Or are they grown from seed? In other words, how would acquire my own grown rootstocks?

[@NaomiChambers]

If I grow apple trees from seed, can I graft onto those?

[@draketeeth8004]

Yes, apple seedings can be grafted onto apple rootstock. It's a good way for a full sized tree like your seedling probably will be, to get reined back to a smaller size with something like a dwarf rootstock.

[@charronfamilyconnect]

Thanks for the video! I found a bunch of wild apple trees growing at the edge of some woods. They appear to have root stocks growing out a few feet from the tree trunk. Could i potentially use these as my rootstock, and graft a scion from a preferred variety. I was told that the root stock will give the tree the physical characteristics, but the fruit variety/flavour, and size will be dependant on the scion genes. I figured if I could make this marriage happen it would be great since the wild trees seem to thrive very well up here in Canada, and may give it the best chance for disease resistance, and resistance to very cold winters. What do you think? SOrry i am new at this, and havent grafted my first tree yet. THanks!

[@kohlbymoyer9243]

Can you graft an apple or persimmon on a Bradford pear?

[@blendi3825]

You answered my question. “Can I use a crab tree as to graft an eatable apple?” -Yes

[@nameless688]

Can you graft apple to pear rootstock?

[@stephenhayesuk]

I don’t think so, nobody advises it. That said, you can graft pears to hawthorns. Apples and pears are not genetically so far apart, so you MIGHT get away with it, but why would you even want to try? I never have.

[@JuanTutors]

What about grafting onto pair trees?

[@andrewyek]

hii Stephen , I am really confused.. why do a lot of people said scion wood we should cut it and store it thru winter in moist environment to be grafted onto rootstock during window period of spring ? why not just cut the scion wood during spring and graft it on ? isn't that better ? fresher scion, more vitality ? thanks andrew

[@KimmysKitchenandGarden]

Great video thank you, can you make your own plum tree from plum tree runners with roots? I've got 3 coming in my garden from next door and want to replant them I'd love having plum trees

[@JamesWhite-tg4kw]

I would try it lol. Nothing to lose right

[@Homeschoolmeful]

I want to graft more than one kind of apple to the same tree. Do you have a video showing how to do that?

[@stephenhayesuk]

+Naida Palmer Sorry for delay responding, I am too busy. No problem, I have done this, it't the same techniques, you just use scions from different varieties. That's all there is to it.

[@billadams3140]

Can you do this with peach trees

[@stephenhayesuk]

@Teorispa 'Can these trees be propagated by cuttings?' not satisfactorily, I don't say its impossible but commercially its always done from roots. once again, growing a stock from an apple pip is possible, but unpredictable. With a fruit tree such a long term investment, it seems a poor economy to try it. If it doesn't work well, you will have wasted 4 or 5 years. Its it worth that to save the price of a aglass of beer?These rooted suckers will definitely be MM106 clones.

[@dpaolilli2812]

is there a process to actually dwarf an existing young tree? do you have to buy 'dwarf' rootstock or can you 'dwarf' a tree yourself?

[@charronfamilyconnect]

other than with seeds, how do we grow a brand new tree? Do you need to get a hold of root stocks or can you use the scions on an existing tree and dig up root stocks to be used for replanting or will this kill the alive tree? Does anyone know how? Thanks

[@RCCRAYZ]

You can graft apples to pears and vise versa, same as any pit fruit to pit fruit

[@stephenhayesuk]

Please feel free to link to your videos showing us this being done successfully.

[@RCCRAYZ]

@@stephenhayesuk kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHmWnKmGgruHZ80

[@RCCRAYZ]

@@stephenhayesuk kzbin.info/www/bejne/omeZp6CAiN2Dg8k

[@RCCRAYZ]

@@stephenhayesuk kzbin.info/www/bejne/mF7MqounfJZjj7c

[@kyleeppley4145]

I was just curious to what kind of rootstocks you use in your orchard and if you have any recomendations.

[@stephenhayesuk]

Mainly MM 106, which I recomend. More detail in my new e- book "Tales From an English Orchard' on kindle, £3.77 or $5.

[@Curiousone93]

Can you do this with any age tree i.e. cut down a one year old tree and let them grow?

[@snarky_user]

Four of those went from "nothing to lose" to rejects in about ten seconds.

[@ryan75110]

You can put more than one tap of fruit tree it like apple with plum tree

[@kentmosher2880]

You may have covered it but why not graft it now as to next year? Kent in Willow, AK. KL7WTF

[@ChetMitchell]

Have ordered apple tree root stock (10 of them) and plan to graft Honey Crisp apples to them? My son-in-law's father owns an apple orchard. He is getting the scions for me. Anyone know how long should I let the root stock grow before grafting the Honey Crisp scions onto them? Not sure know long the scions can be kept in refrigerator before they go bad (if they do go bad)? Can I plant root stock in April and do the grafting of scions in Fall? Does that make sense?

[@stephenhayesuk]

Use your own judgment. Dig them up with as much care and as big a root ball as possible. You may find for example that you get one root ball with three shoots. You can try to carefully tease the roots out so you have 3 stocks, alternatively simply keep the root ball intact and snip off the weaker 2 shoots, then you have one good stock which you can plant with every hope of success. You just have to get your hands to it, get a feel for it and give it a go.

[@shubirahman5652]

Thanks

[@theracemixer]

How long will it takes to fruit ?

[@jimreichert327]

use the parts you cut off to make hardwood cuttings. next year youlss have new root stock to graft on.

[@methnicity]

is it possible to cross pollinate 2 apples grown from seeds.

[@stephenhayesuk]

correct. This is a case of neglect due to too many projects and not enough time. They would of course do better with grass control. Thanks.

[@phbirada]

Sir your amazing, I'm from Philippines, we don't have much apple roots stock here... Can I have some please 🥺

[@josephcool640]

Could I hrow a root stock from seed and then graft it with my orchard apples

[@glaucouswingedgull]

You could, but you'll never know what you're getting as far as disease resistance, wet soil tolerance, dwarfing quality or precociousness. If you have lots of space and time, you could allow them to grow 8 years or so and see what kind of apple your seed grown tree produces, and if it is not a good variety (and 90+% time it wont be) you could then top graft that tree with known varieties of apple.

[@shubirahman5652]

Can fruits grow from roots stock

[@shubirahman5652]

Please please can someone answer me

[@stephenhayesuk]

Not successfully. The root stocks are raised selectively to give roots and trunk. To get desirable apples you need to graft a known fruit variety on to them.

[@shubirahman5652]

I have a cherry 🍒 tree is from my old cherry tree and it had a shoot in the root would give fruit 🍇 or I need to do grafting

[@shubirahman5652]

My old cherry tree is no more only I have a roots shoot

[@stephenhayesuk]

@@shubirahman5652 I don't grow cherries, but the same rules apply as for other fruits. A shoot coming out from low down will be the root stock, which is unlikely to give satisfactory fruit.

[@krzysztofrudnicki5841]

You can graft apple scion on hawthorn...

[@madshusdal2133]

And on rowan (Sorbus aucuparia).

[@tannaramthakur2396]

Sir i want to know that age of these rootstock . M7 rootstock

[@stephenhayesuk]

tanna thakur these are first year growth, from a tree about 10 years old that was cut down.

[@navarre7991]

Hi i have 8 apples grown from seed 7 are under one year old , one is a year old and a foot tall any tips lol

[@craig89lx50]

Did you end up with anything edible?

[@bowler8]

But thats not what other garden geniuses are saying...you can graft an apple onto a peach for instance...as long as its a fruit tree

[@stephenhayesuk]

Thanks. 'But thats not what other garden geniuses are saying...you can graft an apple onto a peach for instance...as long as its a fruit tree' Garden geniuses, of whom I am not one, can say that if they like, but it isn't so. They are both fruit trees, yes, but their biology is suffiently different that they will not form a stable union. This is well known and can readily be demonstrated by making the attempt to graft, for example, pears on to figs or apples to plums-it will fail.

[@theracemixer]

@stephenhayesuk Thanks for the information.

[@bowler8]

Not a good thing to let grass grow up to the trunk, as the grass fights for nutrients.

[@farrells541]

yes acully you can I have don it bfor

[@QUARTERBAT]

@stephenhayesuk good videos

[@KayakFisher01]

KuffelCreek has a good video entitled Propagating Clonal Rootstocks . /watch?v=gn9nzWr9Q1w&feature=plcp

[@stephenhayesuk]

Good video on propagating rootstocks here (if link works) kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZ-cn62Np56EZ9k

[@earthneutral4003]

That is a great video

[@PREPPERLEPER]

CAN YOU GRAFT ROAD APPLES ON THE ANY APPLE TREE? LOLOL

[@1973meena]

miss my donkey and buffalo

[@valimisinfo]

wtf this is not raising, its digging and planting them

[@jumpingjack1979]

Hi, can you do the same for cherry tree??