Growing Apple Rootstocks from Seed

How to sprout apple seeds to grow rootstocks for making your own apple trees

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• apple
• seeds
• sprouting
• seedling
• rootstock
• tropics

[usc5299]

so your saying planting an apple seed is pointless if you wanna grow apples?

[kuffelcreek]

@usc5299 Well, no, it will make an apple tree, but the apples on it will probably be sour duds. It has great roots though, and you can graft a good variety onto it.

[ycats1000]

@StefanieShain thats assuming god created apples for humans to eat...

[kuffelcreek]

@StefanieShain If the apples are sweet they were most definately grafted, just on to seedling rootstock, most common until about 1950. Seeds were sprouted into trees and then a good variety grafted on to it, which is what you have; as the tree ages the graft union disappears. Once in a while the main tree dies and a root sucker will sprout up and bear apples, and you can tell immediately as the apples are horrible. You can do the same, start some seeds and take cuttings from those trees.

[StefanieShain]

@kuffelcreek Oh no disrespect meant, I think grafting is wonderful and can't wait to do some apple tree grafting of my own! I just think it's sad to see the time of the older non-grafted trees like the ones we had a chance to taste the fruit of several times over the last few years come to an end...seem such a shame :(

[kuffelcreek]

@StefanieShain Johnny Appleseed had your same sentiments; he eschewed grafting, stating that only God can make an apple tree. Your chances are the same as hitting the lottery, but hey, somebody hits the lottery almost ever week!

[StefanieShain]

@kuffelcreek Thanks for the quick response. I think we may still play around with these seeds just to see what we get. We have the room and are already watering our recently planted trees so that won't be a problem. We just think it's a shame that we have to "recreate" God's original creation. I have a little trouble thinking that God "missed this little detail". I may be too persistent but I think I'll plant these and see what happens...worse case scenario, I'll have some great root stock!

[kuffelcreek]

That won't really matter as they genetic variability in them is still immense; you'll probably still get spitters. If you have the room and water to play with them though, it's cheap fun to grow a bunch of them out to see what you get.

[StefanieShain]

What about seeds from a very old original tree? We live in the east near the Bluerigde Mountains and have apple seeds from a protected very old tree.

[trainmanross99]

i didnt have a can so i improvised by cutting the top of of a sturdy plastic bottle. i hope they will sprout soon