Post by david on Jul 21, 2019 9:05:12 GMT -5
First frost here is around the end of November. Here is how I start Spring Rootstock.
Get you an old/new containment. I use an old bathtub that I have placed in the SE corner of the grove. Put yours where the early sun will hit it. Put about 3 inches of good compost in the bottom. Also put about 3 shovels of green manure in and mix it well. Now add your potting/soil mix on top of that. Spread your seed and cover with fine compost. Firm/lightly tamp your soil. They need to be a quarter inch or so deep. Water with a gentle spray so that it does not unearth your seed. I use an old window to cover. You now wait for germination to take place. The seceret here is bottom heat. The green manure that you mixed with your compost in the bottom will start to decompose. It generates bottom heat as it does so and makes the seed jump up and shout. The old window creates a greenhouse effect and holds in some humidity. The rootstock will grow. Last frost ( we don't have but a few) is around March 1. Your rootstock should be well on its way. Uncover the containment and let nature grow them off. You can transplant the most vigorous of them when they are a foot tall. About 16 months from plant date you will have graftable rootstock (dependant upon what kind you planted) and the rest will grow to size.
Get you an old/new containment. I use an old bathtub that I have placed in the SE corner of the grove. Put yours where the early sun will hit it. Put about 3 inches of good compost in the bottom. Also put about 3 shovels of green manure in and mix it well. Now add your potting/soil mix on top of that. Spread your seed and cover with fine compost. Firm/lightly tamp your soil. They need to be a quarter inch or so deep. Water with a gentle spray so that it does not unearth your seed. I use an old window to cover. You now wait for germination to take place. The seceret here is bottom heat. The green manure that you mixed with your compost in the bottom will start to decompose. It generates bottom heat as it does so and makes the seed jump up and shout. The old window creates a greenhouse effect and holds in some humidity. The rootstock will grow. Last frost ( we don't have but a few) is around March 1. Your rootstock should be well on its way. Uncover the containment and let nature grow them off. You can transplant the most vigorous of them when they are a foot tall. About 16 months from plant date you will have graftable rootstock (dependant upon what kind you planted) and the rest will grow to size.
