To: "nottke1" <nottke1@earthlink.net>, "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Sport or Something Else?
Date: Sun, 5 Jul 2009 22:52:43 -0500
Jim,
Seckel is not compatible with quince, so it was probably grafted on
quince with a very small peice of something compatible in between. That
part doesn't matter because the vigorous branch starts far above the ground.
The tree has grown slowly because the quince rootstock grows slowly, and it
probably doesn't like your soil. Quince is said to like rather wet heavy
soils. If your graft union is below or at ground level, I would guess that
you have indeed had either the Seckel or the interstem develop a root and
your dwarf is going to turn into a standard. But that may not be the case.
I have had own root plants that spent years not growing, and then suddenly
they reached some critical mass or got their roots into a good source of
nutrition or something, and suddenly the plant took off. I planted 8 small
blueberry plants spring 2005, a drought year, with 2007 another drought year
and 2006 and 2008 barely adequate rainfall. These plants spent 4 years in
stasis, and then suddenly this year they are growing. Nearly chopped off a
vigorous sprout today, I wasn't looking for anything to stick up above the
tiny shrub.
Have you looked carefully at the original trunk above the vigorous
branch? You may find something inconspicious, a sunken place or
discoloration that slowed the original trunk. Donna