Propagating Rootstock

 


Hello Everyone.  My first post.

I live in an area in BC, Canada, that has old dying apple orchards.
These
orchards have been abandoned and the forest is reclaiming the
land.  At one time
in the late 1800's our first pioneers settled in the
area, cleared land and
planted these orchards.  Some of these trees are
nearing 100 years old, most of
them are nearly dead.  I have decided to
recover some of these old trees, so
last winter I collected scions from
a bunch of these trees, ordered M111
rootstock, that had to come up from
the United States, and grafted the scions to
the rootstock.  Out of 25
rootstock stems I had 15 grafts take.  I had no idea
if the scions I was
collecting were alive or dead as the tree conditions are
terrible.  Of
the 10 rootstock whip grafts that did not take, I bud grafted 7 of
them
and have kept 3 rootstock ungrafted.

As to why am I doing this?  I suppose sentimentality for keeping alive
the trees
(clones) our ancestors based their lives and hopes on when
they first moved to
this remote location.  Beside that, the apples that
are still produced on these
trees are absolutely delicious!

Now, after this long explanation here is my question.  I can not get
M111
rootstock imported in the small quantities I require, which is why
I kept the 3
bare rootstock in hopes of being able to split the roots
and grow the rootstock
myself.  Can I do this?  If yes, how do I split
the root, what time of year do I
do this, how long does it take to grow
a 12" rootstock stem?  I chose M111 for
my climate here and the root
tolerates a tree in the semi-dwarf pruned condition
for ease of
caretaking.

thanks for your patience and help in advance




--
Billy_13

 
If you are talking about splitting the rootstock in half to double it
I would be leary of such surgery unless you are experienced at this.
I would however be taking hardwood cuttings as well as layering many
of the remaining orchard to further propragate.The instructions are
all over the internet as well as in library books such as P.
Thompson's " Propagator' Handbook".    If not on a orchardist
timeframe I would also would not hesitiate growing the rootstock out
and using those for rootgrafting large branches with a view towards
specimantrees or bonsai.

Here is a source that may interest you:
http://derrysorchardandnursery.ca/p2_rs_at.html