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["Donna &/or Kieran" <holycow@cookeville.com>]

"The apple rootstocks had little root (which I wasn’t surprised at), and when the tops died, and I dumped out the pots, the roots looked like they hadn’t done anything since planting."

 

 

I think I might know what happened.  I have ordered plants over the years that arrived with dry roots.  Some nurseries dig their plants in the fall and store them over the winter.  A small percentage of these plants may get frozen or dry out because they are at the edge of the insulated area or on the outer layer in the bundle.  Hopefully those doing the sorting will spot damaged plants and cull them, but that doesn't always happen.  Some plants may have had their roots dry out considerably.  The tops still look like they did when dug, but the little bit of surviving root tissue is within layers of dead dry stuff.  When planted, they may sit for months before making feeble growth, may die, or may have to put out entirely new roots, depending on the amount of damage and the temp and dryness of the soil and air they are planted into.  People on rose groups talk about the importance of soaking rose roots for 2-24 hours before planting.  They say if you don't do that, your plants may not be able to do anything for months after planting.  Remember we are talking about big strong plants that are likely to overcome even the worst handling and storage, not puny rootstocks. 

    In don't think your trees dying were your fault.  I don't even think it was necessarily anyone's fault, because sometimes bad things happen and no one at the nursery happens to notice.  If you didn't contact the nursery back when, there's no hope of them replacing the plants.  In future, because this sort of thing ruins your plans and wastes your time, you might want to try the root soaking trick.  And definitely, get your rootstocks a year in advance, or at least in the fall, and have them in the ground or in a pot long before grafting time.  I learned that the hard way myself.      Donna