Growing a tree from seed/grafting

Moderator: appledude

Post Reply
Greyt.Chase
Posts: 77
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:29 pm
Location: Mid Michigan

Growing a tree from seed/grafting

Post by Greyt.Chase »

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?
OrangePippin-Richard
Posts: 165
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2010 12:14 pm
Contact:

Re: Growing a tree from seed/grafting

Post by OrangePippin-Richard »

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).
Greyt.Chase
Posts: 77
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:29 pm
Location: Mid Michigan

Re: Growing a tree from seed/grafting

Post by Greyt.Chase »

I wondered about that. It seemed logical, but far too easy. Thanks Richard!
kmarie
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2015 8:53 pm

Re: Growing a tree from seed/grafting

Post by kmarie »

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.
OrangePippin-Richard
Posts: 165
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2010 12:14 pm
Contact:

Re: Growing a tree from seed/grafting

Post by OrangePippin-Richard »

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.
kmarie
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2015 8:53 pm

Re: Growing a tree from seed/grafting

Post by kmarie »

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
Grafter Jay
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2015 5:20 pm

Re: Growing a tree from seed/grafting

Post by Grafter Jay »

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.
Post Reply