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nafex - Re: [nafex] Umbrella Training - Apples

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  • From: Phil Norris <COUSINPHIL@ACADIA.NET>
  • To: nafex@yahoogroups.com
  • Subject: Re: [nafex] Umbrella Training - Apples
  • Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 19:55:35 -0400

Tom,

I'm having a hard time picturing your tree. Apparently you grafted a
scion onto an established rootstock last spring and the thing took off
like a bat out of hell and sent out three 24" branches and a central
leader which leapt for the sky. All that growth in one year? Holy
smokes! That must be some rich soil you've got there. What height did
you graft the scion on? 10 inches or so above the ground?

I greatly admire the umbrella shape that some of the old timers around
here cultivated and am also interested in how to train them to do that.
My gut reaction is that you've got a standard rootstock there and that
you should let it go a bit higher before arching over. All of my
standards which I've trained to a central leader naturally have tended
to flair out on their own. I suspect that if you try to dwarf it too
soon you'll probably have a fight on your hands. The tree will just
want to go vertical. But I'll wait to hear what those that have
actually done it say.

Phil Norris
East Blue Hill Maine Z4


On Friday, April 12, 2002, at 05:57 PM, Thomas Olenio wrote:

> Hello All,
>
> I have grafted a family favorite apple on an unknown rootstock and I an
> not sure how big the tree will become. To keep the tree manageable I am
> thinking of using the old "umbrella" style of training instead of the
> "central leader. I would like your opinions.
>
> Let me describe the tree for you:
>
> I will guess the rootstock was 2-4 years old, and the trunk was about
> 3/4" in diameter when I bark grafted the scion last spring. The graft
> has gone very well, better than any of the others I did last spring with
> M7 rootstock. The tree is now 72" tall, with it's first three scaffold
> branches at 40", 41" and 42". They are equally spaced around the tree,
> being very symmetrical. The angle of the branches to the trunk is about
> 45 degrees. The three branches average 24" in length.
>
> The tree was moved to a raised bed with very good soil this week.
>
> I now need to start training the branches to have angles of less than 45
> degrees, and need to decide on a training style. The tree is vigorous,
> and I have no idea of size control from an unknown rootstock.
> Therefore, I am leaning to using the three scaffold branches it has,
> eliminate the central leader, and training the tree to umbrella shape.
>
> I would appreciate opinions. My goal is to dwarf this tree through
> proper training and pruning.
>
> Thank you for your input,
> Tom
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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