North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Ginda Fisher <ginda@concentric.net>]

Bernie, what happens when you move the rest of the trees to their
ultimate position in the orchard?  Do they lose growth compared to the
trees that were transplanted their first year, or retain their
advantage?

Also, has your experiment run long enough to see if there are
differences in bearing age?  Quick height is useful in medium to large
trees (decreases the time until they are tall enough that the deer won't
eat the whole thing in one meal) but may not even be desirable in small
trees.

Ginda

Bernie Nikolai wrote:
> 
> In my short season zone 3/2 climate, I've conducted an experiment on graft
> growth for apples on Ranetka rootstock this year.  There were four
> variations of graft care, and all were on 2 year Ranetka that was cut off at
> ground level and grafted with a bark graft.
>         1/ graft growth on 2 year Ranetka, moved into a permanent position
> in the orchard at green tip, 1 foot of growth this summer.  Clearly moving
> the tree slowed the growth of the graft the first year while it set more 
> roots.
>         2/ graft growth on 2 year Ranetka, moved into a permanent position
> in the orchard at green tip, but put into a 2 foot "grow tube" (a 4 ft. tube
> cut in half, and staked), 2 1/2 foot of growth this summer.  The grow tube
> obviously created a better environment for growth of the first year shoot by
> elimanating wind and increasing heat.
>         3/ graft growth on 2 year Ranetka, left in place, no grow tube, 3
> ft. of growth.  The established roots tripled the growth of the graft/new
> tree vrs. the trees that were moved and had to reestablish a better root
> structure.
>         4/ graft growth on 2 year Ranetka, left in place, with a 2 ft. grow
> tube, 4 ft. of growth.  The best growth in my experiment of the newly
> grafted trees came with this combination.  The graft had the best of all
> worlds, a mature root structure to feed it and a grow tube to increase the
> greenhouse effect.
>         It is important to take the grow tubes off after the first hard
> frost, or else the whip will start to grow too early in the spring and be
> damaged by cold.  I also pruned the whips to elimanate branching.  I've
> noticed second year growth is about the same for all 4 of the above
> variations, about 2 to 2 1/2 ft regardless of the first years method.  I
> mean by this the one foot tall tree at the end of next years growing season
> could be expected to be 3 1/2 to 4 ft. tall, and the 3 ft. tree could be
> expected to be about 5 to 5 1/2 ft. tall. It is only in the first year that
> a difference is seen.  I only use grow tubes the first year as it doesn't
> seem to help a larger tree to have the bottom 2 ft. of the trunk in a tree 
> tube.
> Bernie Nikolai
> Edmonton Alberta
> 
> At 02:23 PM 8/24/01 -0400, you wrote:
> >Hi,
> >
> >Thanks for the information on the cambium being the only
> >support to the healing graft.  It explains a lot for me.
> >
> >Quick question...  What is the expected amount of growth
> >from a graft it's first season?
> >
> >I have one graft I am watching in particualr.  The rootstock
> >was about 1/2" diameter sapling, and the scion was about 6"
> >long, with about 1/8" diameter.  The scion has grown 4 feet
> >in height this season, and the diameter has reached 1/2".
> >
> >Compared to my other grafts this one needs to be wearing
> >blue tights with a red cape!
> >
> >What is "normal"?  (realizing there is no normal, what does
> >experience say)
> >
> >Regards,
> >Tom
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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