Malus(Apple) [Moscow Pear × (M8 and M9 pollen)] Michurinsk College of Ag, Michurin, Russia. Also called Bud 118 or B118.
Semi-dwarf rootstock, about 85-90% of standard). Sometimes referred to as a “semi-standard” or even a standard. Space trees 20-25' apart.
More productive and precocious (fruits at a young age) than trees on Antonovka. Very winter hardy and soil adaptable. Generally not used in commercial orchards due to its large size. Note that reddish cambium does not scrape green like other rootstocks. Mostly resistant to collar rot and fireblight. Unknown susceptibility to fireblight. Z3.
We have two shipping options for rootstock:
Choose A for our regular late-March to early-May shipping window (to receive rootstock with other plants, if ordered). Choose B for mid-March (to receive rootstock with scionwood, if ordered).
Note: scionwood ships only in mid-March. If you order scionwood, and then select late-March to early-May shipping for your rootstock, they will be shipped at different times.
We do our best to provide ¼" caliper stock. Because of factors beyond our control (such as weather!) stock may be 3⁄16–3⁄8".
We carry a selection of rootstocks that we consider to be some of the best options for home or commercial use. Even without grafting, any of these will produce fruit suitable for wildlife. For rootstocks we do not currently stock, or for larger calipers or larger quantities, please contact us for information. We also offer knives and grafting supplies in the Organic Growers Supply branch of Fedco.
Please note! We do our best to provide ¼" caliper stock. Because of factors beyond our control (such as weather!) stock may be 3/16–3/8". We cannot guarantee scion or rootstock diameter.
Apples
Choosing the Right Apple
Not sure where to start? Check out our Apple Chart!
Choosing a variety: Not every variety may be right for you.
All-purpose apples are just that—they’re good for
a bunch of jobs. If you're planting just one tree, perhaps start there.
However, if you’re a history buff, consider the historical varieties
and maybe plant one that originated nearby. If you don’t eat many
apples but love pies, go for the pie apples. If you’re a dessert
connoisseur, skip all the others and go for the highly flavored dessert
varieties. Some are strictly for cider. Some are great to put out at the
camp for summer use. Some are perfect for those who want fall fruit but
don’t have a root cellar. Others keep all winter and into the
following summer.
Summer apples ripen in summer, are generally crisp
only for a short period, do not store well, and are often best for
cooking.
Fall apples store longer and are useful for a wide
variety of purposes.
Winter apples ripen mid to late fall, store well, and
reach their best flavor after weeks, or even months, of storage.
Dessert apples are delicious eaten raw.
Crabapples are less than 2" in diameter. Some
crabs bear edible or culinary or cider-making fruit. Some have
persistent wildlife fruit that hangs on the tree for weeks or even
months. Others have hardly any fruit at all. Some are beautiful
ornamentals.
Cider apples are especially suited to making
fermented “hard” cider. Some cider apples are also good
dessert fruit, but most are not.
Subacid means tart!
Russet or russeting is a skin
texture (fairly common on apple varieties and on a few pears and
potatoes) which looks and feels somewhat like suede.
Bloom is a naturally occurring dust-like yeast film
on the skin of some varieties of apples, plums, grapes and blueberries.
Cider Apples
Each year we offer a different assortment of the best
European and American
cider varieties, including new wild apple introductions from local fruit
explorers and cidermakers. Many of these are NOT for fresh eating. They do
however possess qualities that make them very desirable for fermented cider
production.
Seedling Apples
These trees were grown from seeds, rather than grafted onto rootstock like the other apple varieties we offer. These standard-sized trees will grow to 20–30'.
Flowering and Culinary Crabapples
A crabapple is any apple with fruit smaller than 2" in
diameter. All
crabs bear edible fruit, some more favorable for culinary use than others.
Some fruits are persistent, hanging on the branch through winter and
providing forage for robins, jays and waxwings in the early spring. The
flowers, tree form and even the shape of the leaves can vary subtly or
profoundly. Most are magnificent in bloom and ornamental year round,
especially in winter when the leaves drop and the trees show off their
interesting forms.
Growing Apples
Soil: Adaptable, but prefers well-drained fertile
soil.
Sun: Full.
Pollination: Requires a second variety for
pollination.
Any apple or crabapple blooming within a quarter mile will probably
do.
