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orchardman

What's killing my rootstocks?

Orchardman
9 years ago

I grafted several different trees on both m111 and another type of rootstock. Two of m111's have died and five of the others. Any ideas?

Comments (9)

  • rayrose
    9 years ago

    Did the root stocks die or did the grafts fail?

  • curtis
    9 years ago

    not enough info.

    Are they in pots? if yes probably too much water. Perhaps they got too dry before going into the ground? where did they come from?

    Rootstocks will push new growth from under the graft if the graft fails.

  • Orchardman
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Yes they are in pots and were put in pots by the nursery's I got them from and they grafts took but both them and the leaves coming from the rootstock died.

  • curtis
    9 years ago

    My earlier post was maybe confusing. When I said too dry, I meant while still bare, before potting or planting. But that appears to not be the problem. My guess now is drowning. btw, the grafts didn't necessarily take. They will put out a little growth from the energy stored in the scion.

    Make it a point to read this forum every day. Also find the potted plant forum and read there too.

    Better to start them in thier final location if you can. I did some for my brother this year. He lives a couple hours away. I watered the soil while mixing it about to get the moisture I wanted then put the dirt in pots, then put in the root stocks and mulched them. I kept them out of the rain and dribbled a little water on them just a few times in 6 weeks.

    I graft when the rootstock is breaking dormancy and preferably the scion is not, but if it is that's OK too. I transplanted my bros trees 6 weeks later. the roots had not started to circle in the pot and the trees took right off.

    I have a tree in my yard that I bought from a nursury and it still suffers from roots that were badly balled up encircling the pot. I cut them in 1/4's as is the rule, but the tree still has not got on track.

  • Orchardman
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Has anyone else had this problem? I am down to six grafts that lived. a few seedlings have also died the same way. Maybe some kind of disease?

  • fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
    9 years ago

    Why should anyone answer your question when you can't acknowledge previous responses? cckw wrote a long response and you act like you didn't read it. And you still won't tell us where you live. That's important in many situations. Grow up and maybe you'll get some help.

  • Orchardman
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    What's your problem fruitnut? If you don't like my posts don't read them or comment on them!

    This post was edited by Orchardman on Sun, Jul 13, 14 at 22:11

  • applenut_gw
    9 years ago

    Overwatering is by far the biggest killer of M111 infant trees.

    Once you plant them, give them a good watering to settle the soil, but then nothing more until they start pushing leaves. With no leaves and no transpiration going on, not a lot of water gets moved through the tree and the roots rot. The symptoms are if the scion starts to push and then suddenly dies, or if the tree only makes 6-12" of growth in a year.

    Once the tree is older they can tolerate more water around the roots, but soggy places like Bangkok and Mumbai still have to plant M111 on hills or raised planters. Antonovka is not as sensitive but won't penetrate into soggy soil.

  • Orchardman
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you applenut