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Starting apple trees from seed

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2006-10-17          135998

The weather must have been just right for apple trees this summer, it seems that every tree whether it was sprayed and properly cared for or not produced an abundance of apples. With permission of the owners we picked some of the nicest apples in years from an abandon farmstead that no one maintains anymore. So the ides popped into my head to save some seeds from these apples that did so well without any care and plant them next spring. I told a friend about my big idea, he said that seeds from an apple won't grow to be the same variety of apple that they came from. Any apple seed planters on the board? Thanks. Frank.

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Starting apple trees from seed

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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2006-10-17          135999

Hardwood:

My Grandfather (who had a beautiful orchard of apples, pears and grapes) always said you can't get good apples when growing trees from seeds. He always did grafts.

Type in "growing apple trees from seed" in google. There is a nice article near the top of the search about doing it. ....

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Starting apple trees from seed

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wingwiper
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 676
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2006-10-17          136000

Hard

I do know they are very slow growing and could be very long while before you saw Apples at all. ....

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Starting apple trees from seed

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2006-10-17          136001

Frank, we've done it in the greenhouse, and Pete and WW are right, it's a painfully slow process.

If you take a cutting, you don't need to do a graft though, take a cutting with about a 2' length and lots of leaves, gently clean all the bark back an inch from the cut end, dip it in rooting hormone (from any good nursery) and place it in a pot of starter soil, a special potting soil mix.

This will cause very rapid root growth and you will end up with a "5 year old" tree in one year.

Don't worry about a good year or not though, a healthy tree is all you want to look for.

Start next spring, as soon as they are in full leaf.

Best of luck. ....

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Starting apple trees from seed

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2006-10-17          136004

We have several apple trees. I believe all of them are grafted onto crabapple root stock.

We got a snowfall on memorial day this year just as the fruit was starting to set. That left us with about a dozen apples.... total.... and the squirrels got those. ....

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Starting apple trees from seed

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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2006-10-17          136005

We had the best harvest of apples I have seen from our apple tree. The wife and kids have been baking apple pies like nobody's business. The deer are disposing of the rest that fall on the ground. The persimons had a good year this year as well. ....

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Starting apple trees from seed

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2006-10-17          136006

We had a good crop of apples here too, but the ones that make it to the ground are either in the dog run or the pool enclosure.

I don't mind though, Deputy Dog and his sister, the Life of Rylie, have got me three nice fat rabbits so far.... and NO stray pellets when she gets them for me!!!

Best of luck. ....

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Starting apple trees from seed

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2006-10-17          136007

Thanks for all the ideas and comments on my seed starting idea. Murf's comment about starting a cutting in a pot sounds like a quicker way to an apple pie, so I'll try that too. My wife is getting a big chuckle out of this with the "Why don't you just go to the nursery and buy a few trees instead of all this mess in the garage thing." My answer to her is that her way just isn't a big enough challenge, I seem to always want to do most everything the hard way. So maybe to keep everyone content I'll buy a couple trees, start a few cuttings and plant a handfull of seeds too. Another answer that is far too lodgical is to buy some apples at the store, but that just isn't a big enough challenge. Enjoy the pie. Frank. ....

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Starting apple trees from seed

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2006-10-17          136008

hardwood,

If you follow your loving wifes thougth process to the end, she is wanting you to take her out for apple pie. That saves the work of growig the tree, taking care of the tree, picking the apples, cutting the apples and making the pie. Of course also washing all the dishes.

As to doing things the "hard way" fits your user name right well I think! LOL ....

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Starting apple trees from seed

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2006-10-17          136011

KT; During the fall I do take the Mrs. to every church dinner on the map where most of the pies are still home made, not to mention all the other tasty stuff on the menu. It's getting nearly impossible to find a resturant around here anymore that serves anything but those horrible factory made pies. The Mrs. still makes quite a pie especially if company is coming, so I invite folks often. She also has taught our oldest son pie making, he makes a real blueberry pie with real berrys not the blue glop in a can stuff. Wowzer am I over fed. Enjoy your day. Frank. ....

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Starting apple trees from seed

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2006-10-18          136025

I was told that the crabapple root stock will provide protection against some sort of rot that the natural root is susceptible to.

The nursery started trees might be healthier in the long run. ....

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