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A benchgraft is a tiny tree consisting of a 1-year
old rootstock with a cutting of the desired apple variety grafted
onto it.
Apples have more rootstock varieties available than
all other fruit trees combined. The variety of rootstock is
tailored to the growing conditions and size of tree desired, such as
standard (full-sized tree), semi-dwarf, and dwarf.
The rootstock is actually a sucker that sprouted from
a host tree, and sawdust is mounded up against it which causes the young
trunk to sprout roots. In the fall the sawdust is raked back and
the sucker cut free, resulting in a small tree with roots that are in
pristine shape and will grow rapidly. |
Grafted benchgraft ready for planting (and for liftoff!) |
Benchgraft March 2006 |
Why do benchgrafts grow so well?
A benchgraft grows faster than larger bare-root trees
and potted trees because the fine feeder roots are intact and balanced
with the size of the tree. On the other hand, a larger bare-root
tree commonly sold at home centers has had its critical fine feeder
roots decimated by the undercutting tractor that harvests them, and
further pruned in order to get it into the bag of sawdust they're packed
in. It will take the tree a couple years to recover from the
trauma.
Click here to see
some examples of this.
A potted tree from the same home center or nursery is
oversized for the pot and its roots are most likely spiraled around
inside the pot. Unless the misshapen roots are straightened out
upon planting, they will continue to spiral around the planting hole and
will eventually choke the tree, never leaving the planting hole or
anchoring the tree (sometimes you can just pull the tree right out of
the hole even after several years).
A good benchgraft tree will quickly pass them both up
in size and will start to bear fruit sooner, and will be a healthier
tree over the span of its life. It can easily be trained to any
number of forms, and is also the cheapest way to plant a tree. |
Benchgrafts May 2006 |
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Benchgrafts September 2006; fully branched, ready to bear next spring.
They will whoop the performance of bare-root and potted trees. |
Novice growers are often shocked at the growth rate of
benchgrafts, as they are accustomed to the feeble growth of bare-root
and potted trees.
Not only do benchgrafts grow quickly, but you can
train them to the form and shape you want. You don't have to put
up with the top-heavy or misshapen trees you get potted and bare root
that need heavy pruning (which will delay bearing). Being able to
train the tree up right with little pruning means it will bear sooner.
The young tender branches are very easy to train in an
espalier shape, and the low cost makes mass plantings possible for say,
a Belgian Fence between you and your neighbor.
Click to see more benchgraft photos
Veteran orchardist prefer benchgrafts because the tree
can adapt to the site growing conditions sooner. If only lightly
staked, it will develop wind resistance by adapting its root system to
the movement the tree is experiencing. If you had planted a larger
tree, it would need to be heavily staked to keep it from blowing over,
which actually keeps it from developing the necessary root system.
For windy sites, plant small trees and stake lightly. |
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