Rootstocks for apple trees

For apple trees, it is possible to have rootstocks resulting from sowing.  These have the advantage of proposing a more solid anchoring and an excellent affinity with the varieties.  However, their heterogeneity and above all their slow fruiting forces mediocre soil reservation.

Clonal rootstocks are used more often.  Most are the result of a selection originating from the stations in Merton and in East Malling in England.

In relation to the rootstocks used, we regroup apple trees into four larger classes based in their dimensions: dwarf, semi-dwarf, semi-robust or semi-standard and robust, also known as Standard or Franc.

These are relative terms and it is understood that the dimensions of a tree will vary at every age in relation to the cultivar, the soil, the fertilization, the trimming, the production and the climate.

Generally, you must privilege the association of a robust rootstock with a less robust variety and inversely, it would be best to graft a robust variety on a less robust rootstock.

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