"Steve Wolstenholme" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 11:18:15 +0000, Sacha
wrote:

Ray's comment on trees grown from pips was quite specific as to
unreliability of outcome AND as to how long it might take to flower -
anything from 5 to 50 years was his (possibly slightly exaggerated!)
remark!

I wonder why there is a difference. What else can they grown from
besides pips? Are you using established plants?


Many cultivated varieties of fruit trees are genetically unstable.
The cells can divide and grow vegetatively to produce new roots, shoots and
leaves (and fruit) and all of these bits are genetically identical to the
parent plant. However, to make seeds, you need to undergo sexual cell
division and this causes DNA to rearrange and with some highly cultivated
varieties, the progeny are a mish mash of all sorts of combinations of the
parent features.

Fruit trees are usually propagated vegetatively e.g. from cuttings and often
with grafting onto established root stocks.
This way, you get mature plants faster and they are genetically identical to
the parents.

Des


I maybe over 100 when mine flowers. It's a good job I'm patient.

Steve

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