North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[david.maxwell@dal.ca]

I vote unequivocally for top-working.  I have not experienced difficulties 
with graft unions 
myself - quite the contrary.  I grafted Bramley's seedling onto a wild apple 
growing on the 
bank of a tidal river, (roots in the salt water, flourishing.  But that is 
another story);  wihin 2 
years the graft unions were virtually invisible and the tree bearing a large 
crop.  Replanting 
will risk replant disease, (unless you want to destroy all life in the soil 
with methyl bromide).  
And you will get fruit years ahead of replanted trees.

> 
> Hello my friends;
> 
> What a great year my orchard had! Unfortunately, some of the apple
> varieties just don't sell that good. Summer Rambo and Pound Sweet are
> not popular at all; especially the P.S. The Wolf Rivers are bought by
> people who cook with them; the trees are very productive, though. TONS
> of fruit.
>            There are 8 Rambo trees, 6 WR trees, and 7 PS trees. I'm
>            going to keep 1 of each for pollination, but the rest are
>            doomed. They are 8 years old.
> 
> Here's the question: 
> Would you pull out the trees and replant, or top work them into new
> varieties?
> 
> Please tell me which you would do, and why....
> This should be interesting!
> 
> Thanks
> Murph
> Murph
> 
>