Who Needs Sex!!!!

Hi

ROSES TREES & FRUIT TREES

I get asked this all the time and so it's worth describing, but there has only ever been one of everything discovered, whether it's by chance seedling or a controlled and planned cross. For example, There was only ever one Granny Smith or Royal Gala, Plum Black Doris or rose Elina. I am going to call these clones as that's exactly what they are and they have been reproduced without, well any of that sex stuff going on. If by chance, there is any hanky panky then the resulting seedlings won't be the apple or rose or even plum that we all know so well. Its true!  But Horticulture is all about sex or the lack off it.

So how do we get a new plant without sex, well it's a labour of love for the growers, no pun intended.
In the case of roses,  growers have huge beds of the wild briar rose called Rosa multiflora, from which they harvest long canes. These are band sawn into lengths, blinded (which is the removal of all the buds) leaving just one top bud to grow and finally pushed into polythene plastic mounds. Once the rootstocks have grown roots, approximately a season later, they are then T budded, which is the insertion of just one bud of a selected rose into a T slit into the stock. Once the bud has taken, the remaining rootstock bud is then removed, thereby forcing the growth into the scion (clone) bud which then takes a season to grow into the rose bush that you purchase.

Now quite often Peaches, Nectarines and Plums are grown on Golden Queen rootstocks. Now golden queen rootstocks are economic to produce and the peach stones are usually  freely available and make for reliable roots for the tree that they are going to become.
Now these golden queen stones are thrown into large seed beds where they germinate and then they are lifted and planted into polythene mounds  where they are grown for a season,  again usually T budded and then the golden queen part gets removed and the attached  bud is then grown for another season.
Now apples are usually cloned onto selected apple root stocks and these are also mass produced. Now in some cases the stock can exhibit some desirable characteristics over the plant hence in the case of apples you can get dwarfing stocks or those that will grow an average tree ie em9 is a dwarfing stock.  MM106 is average or semi dwarf but in my opinion a better stock as it tends to be more robust and hence grow a better tree.

Pears are usually grown on a species of pear called Calleryana or even Quince and flowering cherries on to a species called Serrula. The rootstock has to be related though otherwise they are incompatible and so a selected clone of say Gingko will be probably grafted onto Gingko seedlings.
It's an absolutely frantic time of year for those that grow fruit trees, ornamental trees and roses. Its only now in the dormant season (Like an 8 week window) that they can dig  up the plants that they have grown and ship them to retailers all over NZ. In the autumn they wrench the stock that they have grown which means cut the roots and leave them in the ground to start growing again. Once the plants have dropped their leaves they can lift the stock bundle and sell. Even then they are controlled by the weather and can't lift the stock if it's too dry and of course too wet makes it impossible with machinery.

       

Raspberrys If you have a hankering to plant some of these, the now is the time to get in on a good deal and to get them in the ground. Bare root plants for $3.00 a cane, will make an order to suit though minimum of 10 canes.

Choose from Heritage, Skeena Willamette or Nookta but email me with what quantities you require and will make up the order but you have to email me by return as its not an on line order. Again minimum of 10 plants. Collection or get us to courier them.

New in this week,

There is always a deal to be had and this week there is
Libertia Taupo Sunset. Awesome coloured libertia $11.99 now just $7.99
Astelia Westland Chunky plants normally 21.99 just $16.99
Phormium Jack Spratt  $16.99 these just $11.99

Golden Totaras 2 metres plus just $49.99 instant large hedgeing grade
Griselinia Ardmore Emerald fat chunky plants just $25.00

Rose Pruning

Last weeks rose pruning was a hit with the rose society.

We are planning to do this again at 3pm on Sat 30th June and or 14th July same time, would make it an afternoon tea with a demonstration and questions and answers. Please register your interest by return email so that we have an indication of numbers.

Quite a lot of the new seasons fruit trees have now been potted, so if you are  after a fruit tree or deciduous tree, nows the time to start looking. Otherwise whether you are with friends or family have a great weekend

Cheers, Lloyd and Harry and the team