Grow Your Own Magazine

First of all may i please thank FB (the resident apple expert) for all of their help in my previous post. FB has been instrumental with sourcing the 'right' apple tree for mr and i will be ordering soon.

However, all of this apple talk has prompted me to try and grow an apple tree...........from seed
I understand that the chances of producing a tasty apple are pretty remote but i'm going to try my luck and see how i go

I picked my apples from local trees in close proximity (within 10 metres) of other edible apple trees. Hopefully this will increase my chances of success and provide a hybrid that at least has a native parent in my area. One of these trees looked to be between 60 - 100 + years old. And the others seem to be younger varieties on smaller rootstocks.

i am guessing at the ages but the oldest tree has produced many younger trees around it. I'm also assuming that the oldest tree is the tallest one with the nobblist and weathered bark and poorly managed tree structure.

I will take some pictures of the apples for people to have a look at and perhaps you will be able to identify one for me because the varieties are completely unknown.

On another note something that may be possible is that i may be able to dig up some of the seedlings (max 8") that appear to have grown underneath the old apple tree but are struggling to survive ( i assume these are last years fallen fruit). If anyone could suggest a good time for this to be done then i would appreciate it.

Pictures will follow this post. Finally please wish me luck because i won't know what these apples are like for anything between 5 and 10 years.

Many thanks

D.

__________________
www.myspace.com/alexfcooke
www.outofthecool.com

good luck with that one

I did manage to grow an apple tree from pip a few years back, and it grew to about 8 inches high , but it was in the ground and the dog pee'd it to death.
if i recall it was a golden delicious from co-op.
I am almost tempted to join you and have another go.

__________________
'Lets just stick it in, and see what happens?'
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ogs/bridexiii/

There's nothing wrong with growing your own apple tree. Just as long as you appreciate that you can't guarantee what it'll turn out to be.
In fact, Duronal's Pippin has a kind of ring to it.

In later years, perhaps you'll want to get two known varieties and pollinate the flowers yourself. By keeping the flower cluster covered, then removing the pollen-bearing structures, then using the pollen from another apple flower to rub all over your chosen flower. At least you'll know who both the mother and father was.
A well-pollinated apple can have up to about 10 seeds. I seem to recall that less than about 5 seeds and they often drop from the tree prematurely.

I plan to do some amateur breeding of my own at some point.
I'll grow the pips in cordon form (or take grafts from the seedling and graft onto M27 rootstock to initiate early fruiting). If I grow as cordons, summer pruning and slightly drought-streesing them after a couple of years growth should encourage fruiting - perhaps a few fruits in year 3, although the fruit quality may well improve as the plant matures. It may also improve with storage. Some apples are best left to ripen for a couple of months after picking.

HTH
FB

Wow FB. I'm very interested in learning how to graft plants do you have any advice?

I get the impression if i could be shown how it works first then the books may make more sense.

__________________
www.myspace.com/alexfcooke
www.outofthecool.com

just been reading for an hour about this myself, distinct lack of pics, but 'they' all say its quite easy, even found a couple of places that do the rootstocks as well.

would prefer to try it out first though before spending too much on rootstocks.

let us know how you get on.

__________________
'Lets just stick it in, and see what happens?'
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ogs/bridexiii/

as promised here are my 'stock' apples.

the first photo is of apples from the newer (dwarf) trees and the second is the fallout from the old tree.

(i'm starting to get the impression that you must be a musician FB! your like me and always still awake at a late hour )

Attached Thumbnails

     

__________________
www.myspace.com/alexfcooke
www.outofthecool.com

Quoted from Deacon's website:
Grow some apple pips and experiment by grafting them.
I have 10 Worcester pearmain pips sitting in front of me at this moment.....I plan to plant them tomorrow - to use for grafting experiments in 2010.
I have about a dozen assorted seedlings grown from pips from last year.......I'll be using them for grafting experiments in 2009.

how are you planning to germinate your pips FB? I've read that planting in water and then transferring works well. Alternatively i guess i could just pop them into multipurpose and grit.

(any ideas on the photos above? we managed to post at exactly the same time)

__________________
www.myspace.com/alexfcooke
www.outofthecool.com

I'm not knowledgeable enough to identify apples from their appearance, I'm afraid.



I haven't taken enough interest in growing pips to know the best way to do it, but I make a 50/50 mix of soil and compost, add plenty of water to make it sloppy, then mix the pips into it and put into a tray a couple of inches deep.
They'll sit outside for the winter, with occasional watering if necessary.

So long as the pips are planted shallow in moist soil, they'll probably be fine. Enough will germinate to give you plenty of seedlings.
I seem to find that only between a quarter and half of the pips survive the first growing season. Many pips don't germinate properly and many seedlings die in their early weeks of growth.