I'm not totally positive I have this correct, so i'm going to ask y'all.
This past fall, I bought some Northern Spy apples. Northern Spy is where we got the MM111 rootstock. If I planted some Spy seeds and grafted a new variety on top after the first year, would I basically have a tree on MM111?
Is that more or less how it works?
Growing a tree from seed/grafting
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Re: Growing a tree from seed/grafting
Northern Spy was indeed used in the development of the MM-series rootstocks, but you will not get a MM111 rootstock from planting Northern Spy pips.
Firstly, the pip will be a new variety, inheriting 50% of its characteristics from the pollen parent, which could have been any other nearby variety. Secondly, other varieties were involved in the MM-series development, not just Northern Spy. Thirdly, even if you were able to cross the exact same combination of varieties as was used to create MM111, you would still not get MM111 - just a sibling, which could have entirely different characteristics (in the same way that human brothers and sisters are similar but different).
Firstly, the pip will be a new variety, inheriting 50% of its characteristics from the pollen parent, which could have been any other nearby variety. Secondly, other varieties were involved in the MM-series development, not just Northern Spy. Thirdly, even if you were able to cross the exact same combination of varieties as was used to create MM111, you would still not get MM111 - just a sibling, which could have entirely different characteristics (in the same way that human brothers and sisters are similar but different).
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Re: Growing a tree from seed/grafting
I wondered about that. It seemed logical, but far too easy. Thanks Richard!
Re: Growing a tree from seed/grafting
I've got a seedling tree that came from a Pink Lady apple I was eating. When I got to the core I noticed that the seeds were sprouting so I tried planting them. One has survived and is now about 3 ft. tall in my yard. Looks very healthy and I wondered what to expect from it? Thanks anybody for any info, Kelly.
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Re: Growing a tree from seed/grafting
As noted in my previous reply, apples do not grow true from seed. Since most orchard pollinators are crab-apples, your tree is most likely a cross between Pink Lady and a crab-apple.
Re: Growing a tree from seed/grafting
Well, dashed my hopes of delicious apples in my own yard from my little tree. Still will let it grow to see what happens. I believe crab-apples do make excellent jelly! If I were to buy a tree would this one I have be enough to pollinate it? Thanks, Kelly
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Re: Growing a tree from seed/grafting
You can graft a Pink Lady scion onto what you have. That will produce Pink Lady apples. Of course you will have a full sized tree, because it's a seedling rootstock.