Andrew Puddifer writes:
Have a very mature(probably 25ft tall and 15ft across) Granny Smith
tree in the backyard that is being slowly devoured by borers.

I'm surprised that you didn't ask how to go about treating the borers?
Anyway, it could be that the borers have moved in because the tree is on
the way out for other reasons, rather than them being the actual cause of
its destruction.

I know the tree is history, so what is the best way to go about growing
another tree from the seeds? Or should I graft?

Well, grafting is going to get you fruit a lot sooner than growing from
seed! But why not try it anyway, rather than have all your eggs in one
basket. There is also another method, it involves scratching or scoring a
suitable branch and encasing the wound in a bundle of sphagnum moss wrapped
up in plastic. The site of the wound develops roots, and after a year or so
you can cut that branch off the tree and plant it as a new specimen. That's
all I know, and I don't know what the likely success is with apple trees,
but it will give you a start for a web search.

There is also "layering" which IIRC could be carried out by raising a tub
of good potting mix on a secure stand tall enough so you can bend a supple
branch/twig down and securely bury its central length in the soil. After a
year or so the buried part develops roots. You wouldn't want to let the mix
dry out, I'd say, so not as "set and forget" as the above.

To other readers: please add any personal experiences of either of these
methods of tree propagation, as I'm also keen to learn more.
--
John Savage (news address invalid; keep news replies in newsgroup)