NURSERY MATERIAL
The production of fruit trees consists in the vegetative propagation of the varieties recommended for cultivation by grafting or budding them on appropriately selected bases. The production is carried out in nurseries authorized to do so under the Act on fruit tree and shrub nurseries [29]. The material intended for sale is subject to annual qualification and only such material can be delivered to points of sale. Knowledge of the method of reproduction of fruit trees and shrubs, and the types of nursery material produced by the nurseries provides the basis for the right choice of trees and shrubs for your garden.
A plant, on which a cultivar is grafted or inoculated, is called a washer. The size of the trees depends to a large extent on the properties and growth strength of the used rootstocks, their time of entry into the fruiting period, as well as longevity. Therefore, the selection of rootstocks is of great practical importance and you should pay attention when buying fruit trees, on what washer they were produced. Depending on the method of reproduction, rootstocks used in nursery are divided into generative - obtained from seeds and vegetative. – propagated by dividing the mother plant (layering or cuttings). Rootstocks obtained from seeds are characterized by quite vigorous tree growth and a well-developed and deep-reaching root system. Noble varieties grafted on them usually form large trees, which start bearing fruit quite late. They have low soil requirements. They work well even on lighter soils. However, due to their genetic diversity, their growth force and frost resistance are not uniform. In contrast, vegetative rootstocks are genetically uniform, thanks to which they provide the material balanced in terms of growth force after inoculation, the time of entry into the fruiting period, fertility and frost resistance. Trees grafted on dwarf rootstocks and weakly growing rootstocks (semi-dwarf) they usually start fruiting earlier than trees on generative rootstocks. The great advantage of vegetative rootstocks is the different growth strength of individual types. The specific growth force of individual rootstocks, and therefore trees grafted onto them, requires the use of the correct spacing of trees in the garden. By choosing dwarf and semi-dwarf rootstock, you can plant more trees in a small area and thus obtain – especially in the first years – significantly higher yields from a given area than when planting grafted trees on vigorously growing rootstocks. In addition, the fruit is much more plump.
The rootstock forms the root system of the tree and the base of the trunk, called the root collar, and sometimes (if the vaccination is made at a height of several centimeters above the ground) and the trunk. Usually the stump is made up of a cultivar, however, if you are dealing with a very sensitive variety to frost, then the frost-resistant variety is first inoculated on the rootstock, called the guiding, and from it forms the trunk with the roots of the branches, and then a specific variety is grafted onto them, just this one, sensitive to frost. Such double grafted trees are, of course, more expensive, but they withstand cold winters.
The sale includes semi-dwarf apple trees on M rootstocks 7 i MM 106; these are rootstocks of English origin – serii East Mailing (M) i series Malling-Merton (MM) – used for the production of trees in Poland, dwarf on M washers 26 i M 9 and the recently introduced super-dwarf – M 27 and on dwarfing inserts: B 9, P 2 i P 22. Trees grafted on these sleepers are suitable for small gardens and allotments. The pear trees sold are grafted on the vigorously growing wild pear tree and the Caucasian Pear tree, Dwarf pear trees on selected different varieties of quince. Cherries, on sale, are vaccinated on the Antipope – then they grow weaker and are suitable for planting in light soils and in the bird cherry - heavier soils are more suitable for these trees, clayey. Antypki seedlings are used as low-growing rootstocks for some varieties of sweet cherries, and the bird cherry type (F 12/1) was introduced as the first vegetative rootstock for the production of cherry and cherry trees. For the production of plum trees, peaches and apricots are used as rootstocks: Alych seedlings (mainly for apricots and peaches), Hungarian Wangenheim seedlings (for many varieties of plums), seedlings of the Red Starfish (for plums). Vegetative rootstocks for plums are also introduced, typ Brompton, and for peaches and apricots, which, however, do not yet have a wider application.
Standard gooseberry and red currant trees are obtained by grafting them on annuals, rooted shoots of golden currant.
Annual trees are the most common for sale, hear my voice. They should have roots length at least 20 cm, because the root length has a tremendous influence on the sapling acceptance and therefore the root length 23-30 cm is very desirable. The root neck should be at least 1 cm thick and above height 1 m. Fruit bushes should have at least three shoots. In addition, you should pay attention when buying trees, that there is no tuberosity on the roots, and the trunks and shoots showed no signs of damage. If, at the time of importing the trees, we do not have a prepared area yet, the imported material should be pitted and watered. For this purpose, a groove is dug to the depth of the spade and two spikes wide. The roots of trees and shrubs are arranged in this groove, one next to the other, covers it with earth and lightly tramples it. Material pitted in the fall, to be planted in spring, must be additionally covered with a 20 cm layer of soil and its above-ground part covered, thus protecting her from hares and wild rabbits, you should also spread poison on mice near the trees.