The topic of rootstocks for fruit trees is possibly the area that causes the most confusion for the new (or even the more experienced) fruit grower. So many unfamiliar numbers and names, which make very little sense on first glance – M27 and M26 are both dwarfing, but M25, only one number away in the series, will produce a huge tree. And why am I buying a pear tree but seemingly on a quince rootstock?
There seems to be a lot to get wrong and the worry is that you could end up with an unproductive bonsai, or else an 8m (26ft) tall monster that swamps everything else in the garden. Don’t fret – this month I will hopefully reassure you that if you familiarise yourself with a few rootstock names, learn about their relative strengths and weaknesses, you’ll be able to pick the most suitable one for you. I’ll even argue that for apples and pears, it’s not even that critical.
BUD AND GRAFT
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