Growing self-rooted apple tree seedlings

Fruit trees are usually propagated by grafting cuttings to the stock, this is the most common method. Growing self-rooted seedlings is an old and undeservedly forgotten method of reproduction, because a grafted apple tree can acquire the properties of a rootstock, and when growing self-rooted seedlings, the purity of the variety is preserved.

The essence of the method of growing own-rooted seedlings

The method consists in growing seedlings from cuttings. The branches from the mother tree are tilted to the ground and sprinkled with soil. Receiving nutrients from the mother tree, the branch will take root and give growth, which will grow stronger in a year and can be separated from the mother tree. You will get a young apple tree, ready for transplanting to a new location.

The seedlings purchased from the nursery were propagated by grafting the cultivar onto a wild apple tree. Therefore, if you want to propagate an apple variety grafted to the stock, then you need to select the branch above the grafting point. This is done in order not to grow a wild apple seedling. If the apple tree is own-rooted, then you can drop in any branch.

How to root a branch of an apple tree?

Rooting an apple tree is very simple. To do this, tilt the branch to the ground and make cuts on the bark for faster formation of the root system. Next, they dig a groove about 10 cm deep and place a branch in it, and then sprinkle it with soil. The place where the dug-in branch is located must be marked with a peg so as not to accidentally damage the future seedling. Around you need to make a small groove so that it is convenient to water the branch. In a year, the dug-in branch will give growth. When it gets stronger, you can cut off the seedling from the mother tree with pruning shears and transplant it to a permanent place.

Is this method rational?

Some gardeners question this breeding method. apple trees, because it is very long: after all, you need to wait a whole year for a dug-in branch to give growth. If you propagate an apple tree with own-rooted seedlings, and add several branches every year, then it will take no more time than growing a grafted apple tree.

But growing self-rooted seedlings is not suitable for all varieties of apple trees. So, for example, a vigorous apple tree takes root worse than undersized and medium-sized varieties.

The advantage of growing own-rooted seedlings is that a new tree grows with its own root system, which can be transplanted anywhere on the site. Due to the developed root system, the survival rate of the tree increases several times, and the taste qualities of the mother variety are preserved.