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About Rootstocks

Importance of choosing your rootstock

Here’s some helpful advice from Grow at Brogdale about rootstocks and how to select the best rootstock for your fruit tree. Choosing the correct rootstock is as important as choosing the right variety. Trees are very much like people, with varieties having differing amounts of natural vigour.   Your soil will also be a deciding factor, with clay soils having a dwarfing effect on trees.  Bramley for example is very vigorous whilst Decio, one of the oldest varieties in the collections is very dwarfing and will need all the encouragement we can give it to grow!

The history of rootstocks

Until the twentieth century here was very little choice when it came to rootstocks.  If you wanted to plant an apple tree, most likely it was on a traditional orchard rootstock and it was going to be big!  The first half of the twentieth century saw much investment and research into apple rootstocks at government research stations, East Malling and Merton.

These new rootstocks were recognised by their prefix M for Malling and MM for Malling- Merton.  They remain the most popular rootstocks used today.

Choosing your rootstock

The temptation if you are wishing to grow fruit trees that are to be kept relatively small, is to simply plant dwarfing rootstocks.  But if your soil is heavy, particularly clay based, this will further stunt the growth resulting in an unhappy tree, struggling to get through the heavy layers of clay.  Our head nurseryman has a favourite saying “it will just stand there and look at you!” meaning it is unlikely to produce much fruit at all and will struggle to get all of the nutrients it needs from the earth by itself.

For smaller trees to be planted in pots etc, we would recommend you choose M27, M7 and M9 for apples, Gisela 5 or Gisela 6 (G5 & G6) for cherries, Quince C (QC) for pears and Pixy for stone fruits.  Step-overs, cordons and patio trees will all be on dwarfing rootstocks.

To plant directly in the soil where a smaller tree is required, consider bushes or restricted forms such as espaliers and FANS.

Grafting larger trees

On the other hand, if you wish to plant larger trees, half-standards will probably be the most suitable for you.  These tend to be grafted onto semi-vigorous rootstocks; MM106, MM111 and MM116 for apples, Quince A (QA) for Pears, SJA for stone fruits and Colt for Cherries.

Espaliers are also largely propagated onto MM106 as some vigour is required in order, for the tree to have enough oomph to continue to be able to put on the growth required to form the tiers.

If space is not an issue and you wish to replant old orchard style trees, look at full standards or trees grafted onto vigorous rootstocks.  M25 for apples, Pyrus Communis and Seedling for Pears, Brompton and Myrobalan for stone fruits (seedling rootstock), Avium F12/1 for Cherries but a very tall ladder will be essential!

More information

​For more information take a look at the Rootstocks Page on our website here  and to order from our website click here.

           

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Heritage fruit trees

What makes heritage fruit trees so special? Their historical significance for one. These varieties are the fruits of old that were probably grown by your great-great-great grandparents… and perhaps even their great-grandparents! Unusual and rare varieties known more for their taste than their polished looks, heritage fruit trees offer the home or professional orchardist a chance to experience classic fruits that are no longer on the public radar. Add a heritage fruit tree to your outdoor space and bite into a taste of history.

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100 varieties celebrating our ‘Historic Apples’

Celebrating historic apples prior to 1900, why not plant your own living piece of history.

Just click on the variety to take you to the relevant page to order

Variety Date     Stock     Graft
Acklam Russet 1768      G
Adams Pearmain 1826      G
Alexander 1805      G
Allington Pippin 1880      G
Annie Elizabeth 1850      G
Ashmeads Kernal 1731      S
Autumn Pearmain 1600      G
Barnack Beauty 1899      G
Baxters Pearmain 1821      G
Beauty of Bath 1864      S
Beauty Of Hants 1850      G
Belle De Boskoop 1856      G
Bens Red 1830      G
Bess Pool 1824      G
Blenhiem Orange 1740      S
Bloody Ploughmans 1800      S
Bramley Seedling 1883      S
Breedan Pippin 1800      G
Brown Snout 1850      S
Brownlees Russet 1848      G
Calville Blanc D’Hiver 1598      G
Carlisle Codlin 1830      G
Caroline 1822      G
Catshead 1600      G
Charles Ross 1890      S
Chelmsford Wonder 1870      G
Chorister Boy 1890      G
Christmas Pearmain 1893      G
Claygate Pearmain 1823      G
Cockle Pippin 1800
Cormish Aromatic 1813      S
Cornish Gilliflower 1800      S
Court Of Wick 1790      G
Court Pendu Plat 1613      G
Cox Orange Pippin 1825      S
D’Arcy Spice 1785      S
Dabinett Black 1897      S
Delicious 1870      S
Devonshire Quarrenden 1678      S
Downton Pippin 1806 G
Dumelows Seedling 1750       S
Early Victoria 1899 G
Eccleston Pippin 1883 G
Edmund Jupp 1862 G
Egremont Russet 1872 S
Flower of Kent 1629 S
Forty Shilling 1800
Gascoyne’s Scarlet 1871 G
Galloway Pippin 1871 G
Garden Royal 1847 G
Glory of England
Golden Noble 1820 G
Golden Pippin 1629 G
Golden Spire 1850 G
Granny Smith 1868 S
Gravenstein 1750 S
Grenadier 1862 S
Hanwell Souring
Harvey 1629 G
Herefordshire Redstreak 1630 S
Hunts Duke of Gloucester 1820 G
James Greive 1893 S
Jonathan 1864 G
Jupiter 1815 S
Keswick Codlin 1793 S
King George V 1898 G
King of The Pippins 1800 G
Kingston Black 1850 S
Knobby Russet 1819 S
Lady Henniller 1840 G
Lanes Prince Albert 1840 S
Langley Pippin 1898 G
Laxton Superb 1897 S
Limoncella 1831 G
Loddington
London Pearmain 1842 G
Lord Burghley 1834 G
Lord Derby 1867 S
Lord Hindlip 1896 G
Marriage Maker 1883 G
May Queen 1800 G
Melon 1800 G
Millers Seedling 1848 G
Missing Link 1897 G
Newton Wonder 1870 S
Non Pareil 1500 G
Norfolk Beefing
Norfolk Royal Russet 1850 G
Peasgood Nonsuch 1872 G
Pitmaston Pineapple 1785 S
Poors man profit
Ribston Pippin 1707 S
Rosemary Russet 1831 S
Royal Jubilee 1893 G
St Edmunds Pippin 1875 G
Stirling Castle
Sturmer Pippin 1827 G
Tom Putt 1790 S
Wadhurst Pippin
Yellow Ingestre 1818 G
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Ornamental Trees

Bare root ‘Ornamental trees’  can be found in our shop on line – ornamental section.  These trees  will be supplied in the bare root season from November 2016 onwards. Prices for these trees attract VAT but the good news is the prices shown include VAT.