North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Doreen Howard" <doreenh@ticon.net>]

Ed Fackler wrote:
>      We also used M27 as an interstem which resulted in a tree of around
7'.
> However, this combination resulted in massive and annual suckering from
the
> MM111 understock.
Yes, I've seen this happen with trees on M111 rootstock, so it makes sense
that it would happen with these minis.  Yale said he had sucker problems,
too.

>  Of all the rootstocks in that size class, M27 is the best.  P22 is
> hypersensative to fireblight and WAA, as is Bud. 491.  All are sensative
to
> drought because of a very limited and shallow root system.  And of course,
> in most all locations, life-long support is MANDATORY.
That is obvious.  I see where a drip irrigation system and thick mulch would
be mandatory for me.  Yale said that lack of moisture was the biggest killer
of new grafts and young whips.  Minis are obviously for the backyard
gardener or someone who seeks novelty.  Yet, I've seen articles about minis
grown commercially in Europe.  The appeal being they can get more trees per
hectare and more fruit.  And picking is much easier, making such fields
prime for PYO.

I see a big market for these trees if they get the publicity.  The trend in
mainstream gardening is containers.  After lawn care products, container
products are the biggest selling category, to the tune of nearly a billion
dollars annually, according to some recent private surveys I've seen done by
manufacturers.  Containers have become the new flower gardens of this
century and the main mode of landscaping beyond turf, because people have so
little time.  Yet, they still have money to spend.  Stir their interest in a
potable apple tree or two, I think you have a big market, especially if you
sell them a package of pre-measured chemicals and fertilizers with an
instruction sheet on when to apply, IMHO.
Doreen Howard