Apple Branches

My dad is currently cutting some apples and other trees from orchyards(did I spell it correctly?) and brought me some apple brances.
Is there any chance of them rooting?

I need an answer fast.

I stuck a few crab apple cuttings in soil when I collected mine and they seem to be taking but not sure yet.

You will need rooting hormone. How large are the branches? Anything larger than your thumb will be tough.

If the branches have been off the tree a few hours, be sure to cut an inch or so off the cut-off end to ensure that the wound is fresh and the rooting hormone has some live cambium to work on.

If the branches have been off a day, it's probably too late, but . . . .

As for spelling, you were close. It is "orchards."

BTW, mine have some galls so I do not know if it made any difference. The branches I planted have 2" - 3" galls at the base and have 1/4" to 3/4" branches. One actually got knocked off accidentally from my shelves 2 days ago (by me while watering ) and most of the turface (soil) spilled out of the small pot. I saw a couple of roots and a bud under but recovered it as soon as I can. Whether that accident is enough to abort the growth I am not sure (that is why I said not sure yet above). The good news is that I saw (first hand) signs of growth.

Another fact. I forgot to plant this cutting right away and stayed in my tool bag bare until late night before I realized I forgot about it. The tree was collected 9am that day so it was there unprotected for good 12 hours.

As Jim said, I treated mine with powder root hormone and sprayed it with rooting hormone also after. Your substrate/soil (well draining and aerated) & soil temperature will play a major role on this as well.

Good luck!!!

JimLewis wrote:You will need rooting hormone. How large are the branches? Anything larger than your thumb will be tough.

If the branches have been off the tree a few hours, be sure to cut an inch or so off the cut-off end to ensure that the wound is fresh and the rooting hormone has some live cambium to work on.

If the branches have been off a day, it's probably too late, but . . . .

As for spelling, you were close. It is "orchards."

I've got plenty of branches to choose from.
But without rooting hormone isn't there any chance?
Beside the fact that I'll procure it hard,I'm also broke.

Do you have access to willow trees? Water (from soaking willow bark) is supposed to be a good rooting medium.

Here is a link on how to make the willow rooting tea (but there are several online).
http://www.ehow.com/how_4905464_willow-tea-natural-rooting-hormone.html

Poink88 wrote:Do you have access to willow trees? Water (from soaking willow bark) is supposed to be a good rooting medium.

Two years ago I was trimming apples on my property and decided to save some of the twigs (max 1/4 inch) and just stick them in a vase with some pussy willow twigs, just to make a fun early spring arrangement. Well ONE of the apple twigs started rooting, its coming up on its third season now in the ground growing roots and thickening up.

I have read that for apple to root out in water is rare but it's obviously possible. If you try this method (or any other for apples) and you see flowers pop out instead of leaves pinch them off! You want only leaves on your cloning stock.
-Jay

Poink88 wrote:Do you have access to willow trees? Water (from soaking willow bark) is supposed to be a good rooting medium.

Here is a link on how to make the willow rooting tea (but there are several online).
http://www.ehow.com/how_4905464_willow-tea-natural-rooting-hormone.html

Yes.Fortunatly I've got some moster willow trees here in the flat's yard.
I'll go and collect bark tomorrow.
But which kind of bark,the old one from the trunk or the new one from the branches?

Strip the bark, then boil it for 20 minutes. When that cools it can be used to help root; you will have to try to root in that water, though and not in soil. Rooting hormone, however, is MUCH better.

Nemphis wrote:But which kind of bark,the old one from the trunk or the new one from the branches?

Sigh...read the link I provided the info you need is there and more.

You're pointed to the right direction, you need to do some on your own and learn how to follow up with your own research. If that fails then come back but expecting to be spoon fed is bad.

The method Jim prescribes is an excellent way to make a soil drench, however if your going to try rooting in water may I suggest you simply leave the willow twigs intact in your vase (or what have you) and allow them to leave out and root along with, and next to, your apple twigs. That way you will receive a continual supply of salicylic acid from the willow twigs over the length of time it will take your apples to hopefully throw out a root or two!

Change your water once a week to help keep it oxygenated.
-Jay

drgonzo wrote:The method Jim prescribes is an excellent way to make a soil drench, however if your going to try rooting in water may I suggest you simply leave the willow twigs intact in your vase (or what have you) and allow them to leave out and root along with, and next to, your apple twigs. That way you will receive a continual supply of salicylic acid from the willow twigs over the length of time it will take your apples to hopefully throw out a root or two!

Change your water once a week to help keep it oxygenated.
-Jay

I'm gonna submit tot this method,as I'm a lazy one ,not a thing to be proud about,tough.

Poink88 wrote:BTW, mine have some galls so I do not know if it made any difference. The branches I planted have 2" - 3" galls at the base

Good grief! The galls are caused by a bacterial infection that will not only ruin the branches you are trying to root, but will spread to many of your other trees. Get rid of all the branches with galls, dispose of the soil in the garbage, not your yard, and sterilize your tools. It is very contagious. Any place such a tree was planted in the ground cannot be used for susceptible plants for five years,
Iris

Iris,

I had my local AG office review it and they said it is not contagious as posted here... https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t9077p15-apple-malus-quince-urban-yamadori?highlight=apple

Poink88 wrote:The master gardener sent me a response stating that these galls (insect) should not kill the tree if the insects are eradicated and should stop further gall formation/spread. This type of formation is not bacterial/fungal/viral. She also sent me this link...

http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/publications/epubs/e-397.cfm

Sigh...all is well I hope. Now I can sleep better and continue hoping the tree bounce back and recover.

While I appreciate the warning, I wish you qualified it a bit better. It sounded so definite and had I not known better, I might be disposing a perfectly fine tree (five actually including the separated root section and 3 cuttings).

My apologies if I'm wrong. What insect did they say caused the galls? Did you cut any of the galls open to see if there is a sign of an insect in it?
I hope your ag agent turns out to be right. Keep an eye on the other trees.
Iris

bonsaisr wrote:What insect did they say caused the galls? Did you cut any of the galls open to see if there is a sign of an insect in it?

It was inconclusive since I already treated the tree. I did open it on site and discovered a nest of thousands of tiny (pin tip sized) white insects that looked almost like tiny roaches (however, at that size, I cannot be sure).

bonsaisr wrote:I hope your ag agent turns out to be right. Keep an eye on the other trees.

I hope so too and yes I am watching them all. Thanks!

Nemphis, Sorry for the hijack.

Maybe some day I will learn not to go off half-cocked. Your ag agent was right.
This is what I got from Nina Shishkoff, our resident Bonsai Doctor:
<<If it's apple, then it's elm cottony scale insects (although that sounds dubious, doesn't it?). I've seen the galls on crabapple on Long Island. True: if you get rid of the insects, the trees will be fine, but won't lose the galls. If you examine the galls and see white fluffy stuff in the cracks, it's the cottony scale.>>
The tiny insects you saw inside the galls were probably crawlers.
Nevertheless, any time you see galls on a tree, especially in the rose family, be suspicious as it could be a contagious disease. Taking it immediately to the local ag agent was the right thing to do.
Iris

Iris,

We are all here to share and (hopefully) learn from each other. I do appreciate the extra input and as you said, it is best to thread on the side of caution. It was Jim who advised me to have it checked right away actually and followed up by several knowledgeable members.

Thanks again!!!

Dario
what did you use to kill the insects in those galls?


I think before I begin air layering an apple in my back woods who is covered in wonderful bumps I'll have a twig checked out by MY Ag.
Probably do a bit of exploratory surgery.
-Jay

drgonzo wrote:Dario
what did you use to kill the insects in those galls?

I think before I begin air layering an apple in my back woods who is covered in wonderful bumps I'll have a twig checked out by MY Ag.
Probably do a bit of exploratory surgery.
-Jay

It was Spectracide Termite http://www.spectracide.com/Products-and-Solutions/Terminate/Spectracide-Terminate-Termite-and-Carpenter-Ant-Killer2-Ready-to-Use.aspx
This is the one Home Depot recommended to me and seem to work perfectly.

Unfortunately my father throwed away the apple twigs,but insted of them he brought me at least a dozen of quince twigs of different measures,the biggest one being almost the size of my thumb.

Except that today I did some collecting and got 3 blackthorn,which I had to let at my grandma's house until monday...

It has been some days since I with my dad pruned a cherry and I took some twigs and try to get root on them.I just sticked them in the other pots that I have and I'm hoping I'll succed.So far the tips of the buds are turning green,is this something good or bad?