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Memorial apple tree

#1 · 23rd October 2021, 12:23 pm

Hello from North Yorkshire! Lee, thank you for all your great advice and tips.

Following the recent death of my mother-in-law, her house will be sold. In her garden there's a dessert apple tree (type unknown) which she loved. We'd like to try propagating it somehow so we can have a living memento of her. Any ideas about how to go about it and whether we have any chance of succeeding? I know the answer may well be 'probably not' but it might be fun to try!

Thanks, Ninjas!

Lee Garden Ninja has reacted to this post.

#2 · 25th October 2021, 9:34 am

Quote from Lee Garden Ninja on 25th October 2021, 9:34 am
Hi Pat and welcome to the Garden Ninja Gardening Forum!

I'm really glad you find my advice on this site and my gardening YouTube channel helpful. I'm sorry to hear of the passing of your mother in law. The beautiful thing is she's left a memory with that dessert apple tree. It's great to hear you want to propagate it.

The best way to propagate apple trees is via tree grafting. Whilst you could grow an apple tree from a seed it will revert to its original size and would take years to get from seedling to a fruit-bearing tree. For this reason, nearly all fruit trees are grafted onto a rootstock which enables us to predict their growth, height and spread. It also means in a few years you can go from grafting to having real fruit! Whereas seeds could take decades.

https://youtu.be/6Z0sK5x_2zs

Grafting fruit trees is not as complicated as it sounds but does require some 'expert timing' and precision. I've got a full details guide here which may be helpful when grafting apple trees.

The basics of tree grafting in order are as follows:

Taking a cutting or scion from a dormant apple tree usually late Feb or early March

Taking a dormant bare root stock (usually a quince or other tree) available from specialist suppliers.

Slicing both the scion and the root stock stem to connect the cutting with the root stock. Pictures below for that.

Sealing the graft with both tape and wax

Planting the graft and watering well so that come spring the root stock starts to mesh with the graft

A year later planting out and pruning as you would a 1 year old whip

The alternative is to use one of the many online fruit tree forums to find out exactly what dessert apple it is with photos. You will need 3 key photos.

A overall photo of the whole tree

A picture of the fruit

A picture of a close up leaf

Then let the power of the internet help you to identify the apple tree. Then you can use one of the specialist nurseries to buy one already grafted and save a bit of time!

I hope that helps you carry on the memory of your mother in law and happy gardening!

Lee

Hi Pat and welcome to the Garden Ninja Gardening Forum!

I'm really glad you find my advice on this site and my gardening YouTube channel helpful. I'm sorry to hear of the passing of your mother in law. The beautiful thing is she's left a memory with that dessert apple tree. It's great to hear you want to propagate it.

The best way to propagate apple trees is via tree grafting. Whilst you could grow an apple tree from a seed it will revert to its original size and would take years to get from seedling to a fruit-bearing tree. For this reason, nearly all fruit trees are grafted onto a rootstock which enables us to predict their growth, height and spread. It also means in a few years you can go from grafting to having real fruit! Whereas seeds could take decades.

Grafting fruit trees is not as complicated as it sounds but does require some 'expert timing' and precision. I've got a full details guide here which may be helpful when grafting apple trees.

The basics of tree grafting in order are as follows:

Taking a cutting or scion from a dormant apple tree usually late Feb or early March
Taking a dormant bare root stock (usually a quince or other tree) available from specialist suppliers.
Slicing both the scion and the root stock stem to connect the cutting with the root stock. Pictures below for that.
Sealing the graft with both tape and wax
Planting the graft and watering well so that come spring the root stock starts to mesh with the graft
A year later planting out and pruning as you would a 1 year old whip

The alternative is to use one of the many online fruit tree forums to find out exactly what dessert apple it is with photos. You will need 3 key photos.

A overall photo of the whole tree
A picture of the fruit
A picture of a close up leaf

Then let the power of the internet help you to identify the apple tree. Then you can use one of the specialist nurseries to buy one already grafted and save a bit of time!

I hope that helps you carry on the memory of your mother in law and happy gardening!

Lee