North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Peking King <applegrowr@yahoo.com>]

Hello- I'm interested in budding 6 varieties of apple
onto one tree, making an espaliered tree with 2
varieties at the bottom, 2 in the middle, and 2 at the
top.  Do I have to bud each layer or even each variety
one year at a time and be able to force that bud into
growth by pruning off just above it?  Or can I grow a
6' rootstock and then bud all 6 varieties onto it in
the locations I want and then prune away any other
growth?  also, what if the buds don't "take"?

and what happens when I bud onto a 2' tall
rootstock--can I prune away all that other growth,
taking away all the plant's leaves?--what will the
plant do if the bud doesn't "take"?  How will it get
any nutrients if it has no leaves to give it energy?

Can anybody recommend a rather in-depth book about
grafting/budding and pruning the tree to get the
desired result of getting the specific bud to grow,
and still have the tree in the proper form for putting
other varieties onto in other locations?

thanks for any ideas!!  --PK in SW Oregon zone 7


                
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