She wants to take the apple tree with us!

[temple77]

My family and I are building a new home and will move this summer. The home we've been living in is the home my wife grew up in. About 25 years ago, Her grandfather planted an apple tree for her in the back yard were it still stands today. This tree is very special to her and a topic of discussion. We understand we can not take the tree with us, but is there any way to get seeds or something to bring with us and replant in our new yard. We're staying in New England and our new home is old farm land that will support any type of apple tree.
Any ideas?
-Thanks

 

[treeseer]

post a picture

take cuttings

25 is pretty old; is there access and budget for a tree spade?

 

[temple77]

The tree is huge, I had an arborist prune it and care for it last summer for the first time in 25 years. I know moving the whole tree is impossible, but are there alternatives (such as seedlings, grafing)?

 

[Kate Butler]

apple tree on the move

You'd be suprised at the size of tree an 8' tree spade can move....however....

Realistically, grafting onto a rootstock is going to be more likely the best solution. Easy enough to do it yourself (many websites can walk you through the process), or find a tree nursery that grows their own material - someone there can do it for you.

Before you follow through, decide what size you want the mature tree to be. You need this info to choose a rootstock (dwarf, semi-dwarf, standard).

 

[gumneck]

T77,

Take some cuttings and send them to me. I'll graft you a few trees and me a couple. In a year, I'll ship your new babies back to you and you can just reimburse me for actual shipping to keep the wife off my back.

Tks
Tom

 

[MikeInParadise]

You could try this out and then let me know how it works...

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=30531

 

[gumneck]

That does look cool.

I've had good luck using sphagnum moss dampened with water(soak in water then squeeze as much water out as you can, wounding half the circumference of the limb, roottone on the wound, and using black plastic around moss sealed at each end with electrical tape.

 

[pinus]

I know a story where apple trees some 20-30 years old where moved from one home to another. The apple trees are needed to excavate around and open roots at nearly their canopy radius, To chop vertical roots and pull them out with tractor, pack roots into plastic and go

 

[Kate Butler]

That does look cool.

I've had good luck using sphagnum moss dampened with water(soak in water then squeeze as much water out as you can, wounding half the circumference of the limb, roottone on the wound, and using black plastic around moss sealed at each end with electrical tape.

We used to call that "air-layering" when I was growing up in S. Florida.

 

[gumneck]

We used to call that "air-layering" when I was growing up in S. Florida.

I'm all growed up now and that's what I call it too