North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["del stubbs" <pinewoodel@hotmail.com>]

I just planted out a row of Bud 9 apples that I had grafted last year and 
held in the nursery bed in our garden. Their roots are so different from the 
seedling rootstocks (prunifolia and renetka) that I had grafted and planted 
most of our 5 year old orchard with. The seedling rootstocks are more like 
an upside down tree, strong and self-supporting as they are planted out. The 
clonal rootstocks, however come in masses of tiny parrallel fibers. 
Sometimes one layer at the base, sometimes a second whorl a couple inches 
up.
Question 1: How important is it to get the individual roots of a clonal 
rootstock layed out in its own path?
By just throwing dirt around it they all clump together - but they are so 
fine and tangled it seems rediculously laborious to seperate them, 
especially if there are a lot to plant.
Any Comments?
Question 2: I prune seedling roots somewhat like I do a tree, how does one 
prune the masses of little roots of clonal rootstocks?
My thought is to remove half of them right at the base - rather than cutting 
the tips (thinking of 5 years down the road - and all those tiny roots 
strangling each other)
thanks, Del
Where today's forcast is for 80F at noon, and Snow at midnight.....
Del Stubbs  http://www.pinewoodforge.com  ag zone2/3

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