# Growing Apple Trees from Root Suckers???



## Happyhomemama (Jul 13, 2005)

Hello,
I have googled like crazy and can't find an answer to my question so, I was wanting to know what would happen if you planted an apple rootstock sucker and didn't graft it what type of apple would you get? Last year my husband dug up 20 apple suckers from an orchard that was ripped up a couple years ago, all but one survived. We were going to try grafting from a couple of our other trees (and I know that is what is most recommended) but what if we just left them? Of course I don't know the type of trees or what type of rootstock they were on, which I am sure would help a lot with this question. Since apple trees are planted on to rootstock I was thinking the answer to this question would not be the same answer as growing trees from seed would be, surely certain types of rootstock would produce certain types of apples, would they not? Thank you for your time.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Every type of apple came from just such an experiment as you're considering. Some of the most well-known apple varieties came from stray seeds that got spit out on the side of the road somewhere and then suddenly yielded good apples. They were then grafted and grafted into perpetuity by pomologists wanting that exact same type of apple forever.

I think we owe it to future generations to still be experimenting and trying to create new varieties of fruits and vegetables. Almost everything on our table was "domesticated" from wild varieties upwards of 10,000 years ago. Should we be content to only eat at our table what our forefathers crafted for us? Or should we take the work they have done and try and build on it for future generations?

That said, you won't be able to tell what those apple trees are from. They may not ever even produce a single apple, being instead some sterile hybrid or possibly not even an apple tree! However, there's a slim chance that they could produce the best apples you've ever tasted and your name will be written in the books of pomology forever. If you've got the space, give it a try.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

If the apples in the orchard were planted on dwarfing rootstock, you won't get anything really exciting. Rootstocks are not noted for having tasty apples. If the orchard trees were full-size trees not on grafted rootstock, then you will get the same kind of apples as were on the parent tree. To experiment with apples, you can plant seeds from your trees and you will get different stuff to play with. But rootstocks are kind of a waste of time as far as getting tasty fruit from them.


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## MN Gardener (Jan 23, 2008)

We have an old tree of unknown origin. Instead of using the suckers, we just used a low lying tree branch, cut it in half lengthwise for about an inch and buried in the ground for a year or so. We are going to did the "new" trees up and replant them this year. This is how the original owners got the trees we have. I am pretty sure these apple trees were never grafted, so I think we will be good to go.


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## whinnyninny (Aug 17, 2005)

Grow the rootstock into more rootstocks and graft whatever kind of apple tree (scionwood or budwood) you want!


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## Jennifer L. (May 10, 2002)

I know the St. Lawrence Nursery uses an older Russian variety as rootstock on their standard trees (starts with the letter 'A', I think--can't think of the name) and it's a decent but not outstanding apple. I doubt most nurseries do that, though. They probably use one of many rootstocks that are specific for some trait that they like and the fruit isn't anything special. If it's a very old orchard it might be rooted on something that was commonly available at the time, before many commercial rootstocks were available. But apples aren't terribly long lived trees and in this day and age the apples were probably grafted onto rootstock varieties in the last 50 years or so. Unless someone did it as a hobby, of course, and then they might be anything. Very early orchardists probably just used seedlings.

Jennifer


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

This almost answers my question. We planted an orchard last year. The rootstock is some bitter Siberian apple according to the wholesaler. A few of the trees didn't make it thru the winter but the rootstock below the graft line is sending up shoots. 

Can we graft from a good top onto the living rootstock?

And can we root the rootstock sprouts and use them to graft more good trees later?


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## Happyhomemama (Jul 13, 2005)

Thanks for the info. everyone. It was not an old orchard and my guess is that it was dwarfing rootstock. We will stick with our original plan of trying our hand at grafting. We didn't graft this year because we wanted to see if they lived through the winter, so I guess that is next years project. If I remember correctly grafting is done late winter? Thanks again!


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## thequeensblessing (Mar 30, 2003)

Ed Norman said:


> This almost answers my question. We planted an orchard last year. The rootstock is some bitter Siberian apple according to the wholesaler. A few of the trees didn't make it thru the winter but the rootstock below the graft line is sending up shoots.
> 
> Can we graft from a good top onto the living rootstock?
> 
> And can we root the rootstock sprouts and use them to graft more good trees later?


Yes, you can grow your own rootstocks this way. You can gather any scion wood from whatever apple you like and graft it onto that rootstock.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Grafting is when the scion buds start to swell. It's so easy to do, you'll love what you get.


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