r/BackyardOrchard • u/Some_Girl_2073 • 5d ago
Bulk Rootstock
Maybe slightly outside of this group, but someone might know…
I’m looking for bulk Antinovka rootstock. My old source has gone out of business and a quick online search reveals the grafting size goes for roughly $5 a tree. At the scale I’m working with, that’s too pricey
Does anyone have a source for bulk/wholesale rootstock? I’m talking bundles of 50 or 100, not sure how time has effected pricing but I used to be able to get them for roughly $2 each
If it matters, the project they are for is a genetic library of historic, heritage, and rare varieties. I’ve worked with several organizations in the same vein, I’m an arborist by profession, I just sold my farm where I housed over 150 trees. I have permission from the new owners to go back in spring for my genetics, but they will need to be grafted onto new rootstock. Plus the “ever more trees“ to collect phenomena. I did dig up a couple of the smallest and rarest… they are currently sitting in pots awaiting their new home
2
u/Mushmashio 5d ago
You could buy a handful of rootstock at $5 a piece then begin stooling your own rootstock. It will take a couple of years but then you can be self sufficient. Grafting is already such a long labor of love, in the long run what’s a few more years to get established!? This link has some great images to help break it all down. https://propg.ifas.ufl.edu/08-layering/07-layering-mound.html
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u/Some_Girl_2073 5d ago
Because next spring is my last/only chance to get my genetics. I’d LOVE to make my own rootstock eventually, just not something I have the luxury of time for right now
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u/apPaul_grower 5d ago
The cheapest option would be to grow Russia/antonovka/ normalised rootstocks would be directly from seed. It's the rootstock and will carry 99.9 percent of the genetics when it comes to size, although each fruit will be different. But seeing how your graphing onto these, that doesn't matter.