I don't have a whole lot of choice, I promised my wife I would only use the space while she wasn't using it. She's going to replant soon since it is Spring. Also, the trees already started out poking out of the cage a bit, a year's growth will exceed the size of the cage.
When I moved those trees originally, I considered them lost. So if any survive the move back to the orchard, that's a gain. I have some vitamin-B hopefully that will reduce the shock. So since the "ball" has roots on the underside, can I still consider them size controlled by the rootstock? Everything I have read says "don't let the scion root. Reason: you'll lose the size controlling nature of the rootstock" the scion has not rooted. Also read, "after settling, mound the dirt up to just under the ball" i.e. "keep the ball out of the dirt". But no reason why is given that I have found, could be merely a buffer zone between the dirt and scion. What is the reason to keep the ball out of the dirt? What is the implication of roots coming from the ball (underside)? Can I just clip them like any rootsucker? If I've lost the size controlling nature of the rootstock I don't want those two trees on the trellis. If I still have the size controlling nature of the rootstock, I don't want to plant them on their own and have to stake them, I would rather train them back on the trellis. Thanks for your reading. Rye Hefley Future Farmers Marketer So. Cal. Re: [apple-crop] Two trees with bud union under dirt Tommy and Sandy Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:35:23 -0700 Dear sir, It has been my bad experience to move any trees that already have leaves extended. They need to be dormant to move them without much shock. Tommy Bruguiere Dickie Bros. Orchard ----- Original Message ----- From: Rye To: apple-crop@virtualorchard.net Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2011 4:38 PM Subject: [apple-crop] Two trees with bud union under dirt I have two trees (planted last year) where the bud union was under dirt. The underside of the "ball" has roots, the scion itself does not. Are there any implications? I had moved some trees into my wife's caged raised bed garden last fall because they were dying due to gophers eating too much root. I didn't pay enough attention to them over the winter and two settled low where the ball and some scion were buried. Most of the trees, including those two, recovered and are starting to sprout healthy leaves. I am soon going to transplant them back into the orchard. With roots on the underside of the ball are there any concerns about losing the size controlling nature of the rootstock? Again, the scions did not root. The answer to that question will dictate whether I put those two back on the trellis or free standing in the periphery.
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