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Sally Too
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 2307
Location: N.Ireland
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 Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 9:04 am Post subject: Young apple trees - & Ongoing updates (inc grafting) |
 
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In November last year I acquired some pips from some ancient apples.
I soaked them for 24 hrs then germinated them on damp tissue paper in petri dishes in the fridge. They were put into small pots first and then potted on through 2010 in various stages until they are now in 5 litre pots and each plant is about 2' tall.
They already look fairly varied and I am well aware that there will probably be a very high percentage of "spitter" type apples in the mix.
However this is about genetic diversity and I have some space to plant these little trees. So do I over winter them in their pots or plant them out this autumn?
Last edited by Sally Too on Fri Mar 30, 12 10:41 am; edited 2 times in total |
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tahir
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 41499
Location: Essex
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 9:07 am Post subject: |
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Any idea what the roots look like? Are they filling the pots? Have they started circling round? Look great BTW |
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Sally Too
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 2307
Location: N.Ireland
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 9:09 am Post subject: |
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Yes they are starting to circle a bit. |
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Lorrainelovesplants
Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 4882
Location: Cornwall
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 9:09 am Post subject: |
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look great!
I'd put them into larger pots and tube them to prevent rabbit damage over the winter. |
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tahir
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 41499
Location: Essex
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 9:14 am Post subject: |
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I'd plant them out if you've got a clean bed they can go in, with rabbit/deer protection as necessary. I think they should do fine as long as they're not competing with weeds, their root systems will be much better for not being pot bound and it'll be a huge job to repot. |
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tahir
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 41499
Location: Essex
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 9:15 am Post subject: |
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I'm sure OP and others will have views on this too. |
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Sally Too
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 2307
Location: N.Ireland
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 9:16 am Post subject: |
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Here you go:
They would have to go straight to a field quality site. I propose planting them and then putting card around to keep weeds back.
No deer here. JR terriers keep rabbits at bay! |
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tahir
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 41499
Location: Essex
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 9:19 am Post subject: |
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I'd go for it then, by next year you're going to have properly circled roots regardless of whether you pot up or not and I always hate having to break up circled roots on planting out, it can't be good at all. |
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Sally Too
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 2307
Location: N.Ireland
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 9:20 am Post subject: |
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Okaay....
So that is our project for the autumn sorted then..........  |
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tahir
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 41499
Location: Essex
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 9:22 am Post subject: |
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I'd let others have their say first, but what a great project. Fancy coming and living with us for a couple of years and doing the same on apricots here? |
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Sally Too
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 2307
Location: N.Ireland
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 9:27 am Post subject: |
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Putting 100 pips in the fridge was not a big project. Even the first potting up was a nice little job.
Putting them all in 5 litre pots took 3 of us an afternoon in the sun.
Planting the 80 surviving treelets out.......
It's a project that just keeps on growing! 
So next question? What distances would you use? I don't want to move them again. I might back fill failure spaces with other trees.
So what do folk think?
And OP I'd love to hear your thoughts - I've had great fun on your site.... so much info there! |
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tahir
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 41499
Location: Essex
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 9:34 am Post subject: |
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Distances could be anything, depending on what the ultimate objective is. If this is a collection that you want to get to fruit quickly then I'd stake (or maybe post and wire) to allow quite close planting, no more than 2 mtrs, maybe with irrigation/fertigation, definitely mulched. Once you've assessed the trees use the existing plants as propagation material for the real orchard plantings, at which point you decide on your ultimate spacings.
If you just want an apple woodland then I'd go for a honeycomb pattern (what do they call it?)at maybe 5-6 mtr spacings. |
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Sally Too
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 2307
Location: N.Ireland
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 9:39 am Post subject: |
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Ah! Lightbulb moment tahir. I hadn't thought of your first idea before. What a good idea......
I do hope to learn how to graft and ..so ... yes... that would work. It would also be less space consuming right now....
Great idea. Thanks! |
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tahir
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 41499
Location: Essex
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 9:42 am Post subject: |
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I guess OP might suggest grafting the existing onto M27, and planting at 1.5 mtrs, but we'll have to wait and see. |
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Sally Too
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 2307
Location: N.Ireland
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 9:48 am Post subject: |
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Hmmm .... that could be QUITE a bit of a project.
I'd worry that I'd kill too many that way. So I'd probably have to ask some-one to do it for me..... It's a thought, but I think I'd not at this stage. Once they've grown a bit I might graft the ones I like......
BTW any good recommendations for a book on grafting & other apple techniques?
Thanks for all the encouragement! |
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