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rootstock for apple cordons

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  • #1

    rootstock for apple cordons

    Will be buying a few maidens to train as cordons (or buying part-trained cordons if I can get them) at the end of the year.

    Don't want them to get much bigger than around 7 ft. I live in an area with quite high rainfall (around 38" annually), and my soil is fairly fertile and deep.

    I read that M9 copes relatively well with higher rainfall and am minded to go for that rather than m26 or mm106.

    I would welcome any thoughts or advice. Thanks.
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  • #2
    I think M9 would be fine. You might even find M27 to be useful if you have plentiful rainfall and fertile soil. 38 inches is about 100cm of rainfall and is probably about the perfect amount for fruit trees.

    In fertile, moist conditions I would expect MM106 to be uncontrollable as a cordon and more suited to full-size trees over 10ft in height and spread in those conditions.

    MM106 seems to like cool, damp growing seasons too; I have a bizarre situation in that MM106 will not grow well in my soil while M25 does, but I have one area that's cool and damp where M25 has repeatedly failed (it just sits there doing nothing - doesn't grow, doesn't die) yet I have a thriving Ribston Pippin MM106 half-standard growing there.
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    • #3
      If you're concerned about possible harsh winters, M26 is probably the most winter-hardy of the small rootstocks, and is a bit larger than M9.

      The variety you choose will also influence the growth rate and the suitability for cordons in your soil/climate. Generally speaking, triploids will make larger than average trees.
      Some varieties grow quickly, some grow at an average rate and some grow slowly. Some make large trees and some make small trees. Some grow quickly in the early years and then stop growing while others grow slowly but never stop. Some are tip-bearers not ideally suited to training and some are spur-bearers. Some crop lightly or erratically and this is more likely to see the tree get larger than average as it has less fruit to put its energy into (fruit takes a lot of the trees energy).
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      • #4
        I agree M9 is the best choice for your requirement. MM106 would be far too vigorous.

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        • #5
          Many thanks for all the advice - I really appreciate it. I will definitely go for m9 then and bear in mind the natural vigour of the variety when ordering. Thanks again.

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