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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Rootstock Information Gap

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  • From: "Dave Griffin" <griffingardens@earthlink.net>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Rootstock Information Gap
  • Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2006 14:23:38 -0600

If "Dwarf" is defined as anything smaller than standard, and usually it
is by any outfit that doesn't feel the need to tell you what the rootstock
is, then there are many possibilities for a dwarfing rootstock. The list
may include some like Mariana 2624 which in some locations may not be
dwarfing at all. It used to be that dwarf peach meant either P. tomentosa
or P.besseyi with besseyi giving the smallest tree. Both are hardy here so
I have bought a few in my time and found them to be unsatisfactory in that
there has always been some degree of incompatibility over time. Some of the
newer ones like 'Citation' have peach in the pedigree and are not hardy
here. Citation in my three rootstock planting hardiness trial actually
broke in half trying to twist around and dig itself back into the ground
for cover before it expired in October from what I can only guess was the
panic of anticipation for what the winter was about to bring - a pitiful
sight that I vowed not ever to be a party to again. Less
anthropomorphically, what killed them was that they were growing vigorously
in October like June was just around the corner - problem is that it is a
pretty tough corner around here. Still I would think late fall growth would
be detrimental even in warmer climates.
My conclusion from my experience with dwarf rootstocks is that they
create more problems than they solve and you are much better off to control
size by pruning. This is especially true with peaches and plums which
benefit from renewal pruning anyway. If you want small size so you can
plant more varieties, it is better to have a single large tree and graft
other varieties onto it as limbs.

Dave
central MN zone 4a


> [Original Message]
> From: sherwindu <sherwindu@comcast.net>
> To: <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Date: 3/14/06 11:59:33 AM
> Subject: [NAFEX] Rootstock Information Gap
>
> I spent a whole frustrating day looking for a peach tree on dwarfing
> rootstock.
> Granted, this is a new area and many of these rootstocks are still
> experimental, but
> shopping was made more difficult because of the lack of information on
> what rootstocks
> are being put on particular trees. The number of suppliers that specify
>
> rootstock type in their catalogs and on the web has been diminishing. I
> had one
> supplier advertise a peach tree to be 7-10 feet high. Turns out it was
> a full size
> tree but in his area (Tennessee), they whack off the leaders to keep the
> tree small.
> I think fruit growers should somehow make this an issue with the
> suppliers that
> all fruit trees have a root stock specification, and better yet, a label
> on all trees sold
> to reflect that characteristic. Some of these suppliers don't even know
> what
> they are selling and frequently mislead the customers as to how big a
> tree they can
> expect to grow.
> Sherwin Dubren
>
>
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