Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Make a four-on-one apple tree

nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: bruce <rural@threeriverwb.net>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Make a four-on-one apple tree
  • Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 13:21:54 -0500

Jim,

In grafting to the branches, do you then cut the rest of the branch off just after the scion?

Tanks
Bruce

Jim Fruth wrote:
Some of us don't want a whole tree full of apples all ripe at the same time. I wanted an apple tree that started ripening in late July and finished ripening in October. Here is how I accomplished it:
From a local nursery, I bought two apple trees that were growing in nursery cans (bare-root would have been fine but nurseries near here don't offer bare-root tree). These were two varieties that I wanted to have fruit from. I planted them 20' feet apart and, the following Spring, I sheared both off at about 18" above the graft. The tree's immediate response was to produce a flurry of new sprouts and, throughout the following growing season, I continually removed any sprouts that grew from below the graft.
The following Spring, I ordered scion wood. My objective was to have fruit ripening starting in Late July, then Early August, Mid-August, Late August, Early September, Mid-September, Late September and Early October (Here in zone 3 we can expect really hard frost in October so later ripening apples are out of the question).
First, I selected the branch that I wanted to keep, the original apple variety. Then I selected three other branches that were as close to 90 degrees apart from each other as possible and grafted the scions on these three. All other branches/sprouts were removed. It took a three tries to get one scion variety to take. Now I enjoy ripening apples for over a two and one half month time span. I have since planted other apple trees but these two are my favorites and the branches are all 4" in diameter.
One potential problem with making a four-on-one tree is that each branch is very close in height to the others and we are warned that high winds could easily(?) split such a tree. That hasn't happened (yet?) even though a nearby maple tree was snapped in half by straight-line winds.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN 56472
For jams, jellies & syrups:
www.bberryfarm.com
(877)265-6856 [Store]
(218)831-7018 [My Cell]

_______________________________________________
nafex mailing list nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Reproduction of list messages or archives is not allowed.
This includes distribution on other email lists or reproduction on web sites.
Permission to reproduce is NEVER granted, so don't claim you have permission!

**YOU MUST BE SUBSCRIBED TO POST!**
Posts from email addresses that are not subscribed are discarded.
No exceptions. ----
To subscribe or unsubscribe, go to the bottom of this page (also can be used
to change other email options):
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex

File attachments are NOT stripped by this list.
TAKE STEPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM COMPUTER VIRUSES!
Please do not send binary files.
Use plain text ONLY in emails!

NAFEX web site: http://www.nafex.org/








Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page