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nafex - [NAFEX] Rootstock Information Gap

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  • From: sherwindu <sherwindu@comcast.net>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] Rootstock Information Gap
  • Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2006 22:49:56 -0600

Ribes,

I think you are clouding the issue unnecessarily. Of course there is
no exactitude in
the projected size of a dwarf tree, but there are certain guidelines
that have meaning.
These variations are no reason to not utilize a dwarfing rootstock.

I think the worst offenders are companies like Starks, who indeed make
their own trees, but
are too sloppy in their production methods to keep track of these
rootstocks. There is no
excuse for not labeling a tree for a particular rootstock.

I too have made my own trees and also did bud and cleft grafting
directly onto my trees, but
that is not always possible. There are certain time constraints and
other factors which make
it more expedient to buy a ready made tree. There are a few companies
left that can be
trusted to give you what you expect, but they are becoming far and few
between.

I have enough to do in taking care of my trees and protecting the
fruit to add additional
burdens of pruning to keep a tree down to size. I will prune to keep a
tree healthy or keep
nuisance branches out of the way, but why buy a tree when you know in
advance it will give you
a lot of extra work to maintain?

I guess I was expecting some Nafex members to come up with information
on newer dwarfing rootstocks
that they have either tried, or know of as working well in some
experimental orchards. I'm not
going to buy a full size tree for the reasons already stated. If and
when I can get a hold of
the right rootstock, I will try and make my own tree. There is no
guarantee it will take, so it
may be several years before I get what I want.



Sherwin Dubren





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