Multiple rootstock grafting

[kh0110]

That is indeed nicely done, Kevin. Thank you for the update.

[Berto]

Kevin,
Thank you for the update!
If that  tree were my tree, I would repot it into a bigger pot.
If you repot the tree, take a look at the root system!
I prefer to use very tall pots for jackfruit seedlings, the taller the better!

[bangkok]

Nice work Kevin! Please keep us updated about this tree, i would like to see how it will grow and fruit in the future.

[CoPlantNut]

Kevin,
Thank you for the update!
If that that tree were my tree, I would repot it into a bigger pot.
If you repot the tree, take a look at the root system!
I prefer to use very tall pots for jackfruit seedlings, the taller the better!

Yes, it needs to be repotted-- it is currently in an 8" pot (roughly 1 gallon size).  I was going to root-prune it lightly and pot it up into a 3 gallon fabric pot; if I have any hope of fruiting this tree, it will have to be extremely bonsai-ed so I need to be quite aggressive with it to keep it small.  I know deep pots are recommended for jackfruit, but given that the total height of the plant including the pot cannot exceed 5.5 feet for my conditions, I'm going to try a shallow but wider pot.

Nice work Kevin! Please keep us updated about this tree, i would like to see how it will grow and fruit in the future.

Given just how small I would need to keep it, I don't hold out much hope for actually getting it to bear fruit, but it was a fun experiment in multi-rootstock grafting.  Hopefully some of the other multi-rootstock plants I have will actually be able to fruit for me.

   Kevin

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

Hi Kevin,
Your multi-graft Jackfruit looks RAD...looks like a pandanus In due time, all them rootstocks will completely fuse and become one plant. 

My White Sapote is almost completely fused...maybe with another year of growing, them two rootstocks will disappear and become one plant

 

[kh0110]

I found this on Gardenweb, check out the mature multi-rootstock durian (scroll to the bottom):

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tropicalfruits/msg051040244223.html?18

[bangkok]

Kevin there are many fruit-tree's who made fruits as a bonsai tree, i saw mango hanging on bonsai tree's and many more fruits. Just use the bonsai method for it. The bonsai mangotree's were only 2 feet high so i think you can do it!

[northborneo]

This is my experiments on multiple rootstocks grafting, its a Durian tree with more than 20 rootstocks and still adding.. I have 15 experimental trees to date

[shaneatwell]

This is my experiments on multiple rootstocks grafting, its a Durian tree with more than 20 rootstocks and still adding.. I have 15 experimental trees to date

Funny, I was just rereading this thread yesterday. I'm planning to add multiple rootstocks to some of my in-ground trees to make them hardier and hopefully shorter. Do you see dwarfing as a result of multiple rootstocks? Several people have mentioned this, but I don't think its a universal observation.

[Tropicdude]

This is my experiments on multiple rootstocks grafting, its a Durian tree with more than 20 rootstocks and still adding.. I have 15 experimental trees to date

That is really cool, very well done.

but looking at that many rootstocks grafted, I have to assume there is a point where there is less return, I mean the idea off adding more rootstock is so you have more roots nourishing the plant.  but at some point, these roots will be competing for the same nutrients in a given area in the ground. 

So what would be an optimum number?  2? 3? 20? 40?

also it would be great to experiment with different rootstock varieties,  and also above/below grafting.

One multi rootstock idea that I really liked that I saw somewhere, was where the additional rootstocks were grafted to the branches not the trunk of the tree.  this means that these roots would not be competing between each other, also the tree would be super wind resistant.

[plantlover13]

This is my experiments on multiple rootstocks grafting, its a Durian tree with more than 20 rootstocks and still adding.. I have 15 experimental trees to date

That is really cool, very well done.

but looking at that many rootstocks grafted, I have to assume there is a point where there is less return, I mean the idea off adding more rootstock is so you have more roots nourishing the plant.  but at some point, these roots will be competing for the same nutrients in a given area in the ground. 

So what would be an optimum number?  2? 3? 20? 40?

also it would be great to experiment with different rootstock varieties,  and also above/below grafting.

One multi rootstock idea that I really liked that I saw somewhere, was where the additional rootstocks were grafted to the branches not the trunk of the tree.  this means that these roots would not be competing between each other, also the tree would be super wind resistant.

Sort of like a banyan tree, then.

[Tropicdude]

Yes, exactly,   I guess this could be done easily when the tree is smaller,   just approach graft the branches a foot or so away from the main trunk.  bet a mango tree would look really weird with 5 trunks 

[socal10b]

Has anybody done it with avocado? Thx

[northborneo]

the idea of having a number of rootstocks is to promote  competition between themselves, provided each rootstocks is not related to each other. So by having a competition between the rootstocks, everytime u apply fertilizer, each root will try to grab the most nutrients and faster than the rest. So who benefited?? Its the grafted scion!!!!!  Here is a sample matured mutliple rootstocks Durian tree in Indonesia.. he claimed that his Durian tree produce more than double and
fruits off season(3 times a year), fyi, Durian only fruits once a year.

The very reason why i started this obsession..

[CoPlantNut]

the idea of having a number of rootstocks is to promote  competition between themselves, provided each rootstocks is not related to each other. So by having a competition between the rootstocks, everytime u apply fertilizer, each root will try to grab the most nutrients and faster than the rest. So who benefited?? Its the grafted scion!!!!!  Here is a sample matured mutliple rootstocks Durian tree in Indonesia.. The very reason why i started this obsession..

Yes, I also think having all the rootstocks competing just makes the scion benefit.

My (limited) experience so far is showing that some seedling rootstocks are just better than others-- if multiple-grafted, some just grow thicker and others stay thinner.  As conditions change over time, the "better" rootstocks may change-- the point is that each rootstock is a unique attempt to adapt to the conditions as best as possible.  Some may be better in drought, some in wetness-- but the scion benefits regardless.

It's possible that extra stress hormones caused by root crowding may be what causes more compact growth (at least on all my experiments so far).

I ran an experiment with bell pepper plants this summer; for each of the 5 varieties I'm growing I planted single-rootstock controls and 2-5 different combinations of plants with extra rootstocks grafted on.   The 25 multiple-rootstock plants all seem healthier than the single-rootstock plants and with 1 exception are all out-producing the single-rootstock plants, and with larger fruit.  Some varieties proved to be better additional rootstocks than others; so far in my yard a 'Big Bertha' rootstock seems to make the plant twice as large and fruitful regardless of the variety of the top of the plant.  Even a 'Big Bertha' top benefits from an additional (seedling) 'Big Bertha' rootstock.  It could be that 'Big Bertha' is just the best-adapted to my soil or climate, or that it's just inherently vigorous; either way I want to experiment more with it next year. 

Multiple-rootstock tomatoes seem more vigorous and fruitful as well-- growth is more dense but also larger overall than single-rootstock plants. 

   Kevin

[msk0072]

This is my experiments on multiple rootstocks grafting, its a Durian tree with more than 20 rootstocks and still adding.. I have 15 experimental trees to date

Very cool stuff
My question is: If the rootstock is hard (cold, desease) how would you judge the behavour of the main trunk?

[northborneo]

This is my experiments on multiple rootstocks grafting, its a Durian tree with more than 20 rootstocks and still adding.. I have 15 experimental trees to date

Very cool stuff
My question is: If the rootstock is hard (cold, desease) how would you judge the behavour of the main trunk?

Hi Mike, previously it has 30 rootstocks grafted, but 10 died of Phytophthora, behaviour? no difference.

[msk0072]

That means no extra resistance to disease and to cold with extra rootstocks?

[shaneatwell]

That means no extra resistance to disease and to cold with extra rootstocks?

Or that means he's selected for resistance although the resistant roots didn't save the non-resistant ones.

[Tropicdude]

Oh I see, the competition factor, didn't think about it that way,  so the trick then  would be to make sure they are different but compatible varieties.  interesting stuff,  , Only thing I have so far is a single mango tree with two rootstocks, that I am now attempting to approach graft.  been attached 2 months, going to give it one more. 

[msk0072]

Yes very interesting aproach. Differente varieties as multiple rootstock. If the main trunk has extra properties you don't know which rootstock cuntribute more to that property. for example more disease resistant

[northborneo]

I am now experimenting multiple rootstock graftin on a  Mango.. for a start, 7 rootstocks...

[northborneo]

Here are another photos of a successful multiple rootstocks grafting on a durian from Indonesia.

[fruitnursery]

Hi,

Regarding multiple rootstock. In my experience, the method is useful for annual bearing fruit trees. But for some fruit trees that biennial or shy bearing, it is not that useful in terms fruit production.

Multiple rootstock or nurse grafting is used mostly for fruitrees that are on the verge of dying because of root disease or because you're area is a typhoon stricken location.

In thailand, they use this method to preserve their durian gene bank plantation. In indonesia, they use this for mangosteen for faster growth. In my rambutan tree, it causes early fruiting and extension of fruiting.  In my r2e2 mango, it causes off season fruiting. My r2e2 mango tree is now producing 3 times a year of fruit.

[Tropicdude]

Hi,

Regarding multiple rootstock. In my experience, the method is useful for annual bearing fruit trees. But for some fruit trees that biennial or shy bearing, it is not that useful in terms fruit production.

Multiple rootstock or nurse grafting is used mostly for fruitrees that are on the verge of dying because of root disease or because you're area is a typhoon stricken location.

In thailand, they use this method to preserve their durian gene bank plantation. In indonesia, they use this for mangosteen for faster growth. In my rambutan tree, it causes early fruiting and extension of fruiting.  In my r2e2 mango, it causes off season fruiting. My r2e2 mango tree is now producing 3 times a year of fruit.

That is interesting,  which has me thinking what role rootstock has on the bearing times of trees,  I mean what would happen if you were to use seeds from an early, mid and late variety fruit, as rootstock.   would this change the fruiting season of the grafts?

Its easy to assume that the grafted ( top ) of the tree is the head and determines the harvest dates, but its not unreasonable to think that the rootstock has some influence.