last fall i planted some apple seeds to see
what would happen. the method was simple.
scratch a line in the dirt, scatter seeds
along the line. cover with dirt. ignore for
the rest of the winter/spring/summer other
than to keep some weeds from taking over.

many of them sprouted and now i have several
dozen saplings from 40 - 100cm tall.

i know that many of them may never actually
bear edible fruits, but for animal fodder or
pectin production they might work out.

i'm not sure if i'll transplant them next year
or not. they won't stay where they are currently
at beyond next year no matter what. i don't need
apple trees in the garden.


songbird

On 22/09/2014 4:29 AM, songbird wrote:
last fall i planted some apple seeds to see
what would happen. the method was simple.
scratch a line in the dirt, scatter seeds
along the line. cover with dirt. ignore for
the rest of the winter/spring/summer other
than to keep some weeds from taking over.

many of them sprouted and now i have several
dozen saplings from 40 - 100cm tall.

i know that many of them may never actually
bear edible fruits, but for animal fodder or
pectin production they might work out.

i'm not sure if i'll transplant them next year
or not. they won't stay where they are currently
at beyond next year no matter what. i don't need
apple trees in the garden.

We have a couple of seedling apple trees that bear good edible fruit.
You can also graft onto them form more acceptable apple trees if oyu
feel the need. Grafting is not complex. Here, of 26 grafts onto a
number of apple trees, only 1 graft did not take.

Fran Farmer wrote:
....
We have a couple of seedling apple trees that bear good edible fruit.
You can also graft onto them form more acceptable apple trees if oyu
feel the need. Grafting is not complex. Here, of 26 grafts onto a
number of apple trees, only 1 graft did not take.

yeah, i know chances are that a few might bear edible
fruit, but i don't expect it.

i have read up on grafting techniques several times
and for sure would give it a go if i had a place to
plant out fruit trees.

the back area that is extra space and open for change
(to the east of the large drainage ditch) would be hard
to use as it now is getting overgrown with honeysuckle
bushes. it would give me a good reason to get back there
and get those bushes knocked back, but then to be able to
plant the apple tree saplings and keep the deer off them
for the next half dozen years it will take for them to
get taller... i'm not sure how much of that challenge
i'll take up.


songbird

songbird wrote:
Fran Farmer wrote:
...
We have a couple of seedling apple trees that bear good edible fruit.
You can also graft onto them form more acceptable apple trees if oyu
feel the need. Grafting is not complex. Here, of 26 grafts onto a
number of apple trees, only 1 graft did not take.

yeah, i know chances are that a few might bear edible
fruit, but i don't expect it.

i have read up on grafting techniques several times
and for sure would give it a go if i had a place to
plant out fruit trees.

the back area that is extra space and open for change
(to the east of the large drainage ditch) would be hard
to use as it now is getting overgrown with honeysuckle
bushes. it would give me a good reason to get back there
and get those bushes knocked back, but then to be able to
plant the apple tree saplings and keep the deer off them
for the next half dozen years it will take for them to
get taller... i'm not sure how much of that challenge
i'll take up.


songbird

I've go 2 apple trees I grew from McIntosh seeds. 6 years later, no fruit, but
I didn't expect any. I do have a lot of suckers coming up. Is there any way to
completely get rid of the suckers?