Where to buy rootstock? (Gisela 5 / Tabel?)

[Textuality]

Hi all, I'm hoping someone here might be able to help me.

A couple of years ago I took over my father's allotment after he passed away. This allotment has around 20 or so fruit trees on it and whilst I've managed to keep most of them alive and in some sort of reasonable condition I have lost a few to pre-existing diseases and am potentially about to lose another couple (including a cherry tree).

I've managed to find somewhere to buy myself Colt rootstock (Ashridge Nurseries) for grafting, but ideally I'd like to go with something smaller as light is at a bit of a premium. Try as I might, I've been unable to find anywhere that sells Gisela 5 or Tabel rootstock. Is my only option to buy some cheap fruit trees from Lidl or Aldi and cut off the tops?

I'd have thought that it would be far easier to find rootstock than it seems to be. Either that, or I'm completely inept!

p.s. I'm in South Wales, if these sorts of things are best bought local(ish).

[bearded bloke]

These varieties any good to you bud ? ............

Searchable list of fruit trees in stock, updated daily


Hello & welcome

[Textuality]

Ahh, sorry. Should have been more specific. I'm after the bare rootstock (I don't know if that's the correct terminology), rather than fruit trees.

Ideally I want to graft some of the old (healthy) wood onto the new rootstock so that I can keep the same tree. Mostly for sentimental reasons if I'm honest.

[bearded bloke]

I dare say F.B will be along in a while & may be able to help as fruit trees are his thing,we also have an orangepippin who checks in from time to time (I think is the same person as my link)

[veggiechicken]

Croeso Textuality from another South Walian! There are a few of us on here
I don't know of a local source for rootstock - but I've never bought any either.
Hopefully, one of the fruit experts will be along soon!

[bearded bloke]

Have you tried these ........ Rootstocks for Apple Trees & Pear Trees

[veggiechicken]

Orangepippin has Gisela Rootstocks for sale

[Textuality]

Have you tried these ........ Rootstocks for Apple Trees & Pear Trees

Yeah, I have an order in with those at the moment. Sadly they don't seem to do the Gisela 5 / Tabel rootstocks, only the Colt rootstock for cherries.

As I understand it, I can keep it pruned back with some degree of success, but it's likely to be a lot of work.

Orangepippin has Gisela Rootstocks for sale

Thank you. I wish I had searched a bit harder as now I'm going to end up ordering 10 rootstocks where I only need 2!

Edit - Ahh, maybe not. Delivery 2014, possibly a little too long for the tree to wait.

[Paulieb]

Hello and welcome from me too.

Have you done much grafting before? I don't profess to be an expert, but have recently covered this in a course, and although my 6 grafts are showing growth it can be pretty tricky and technical, and all of mine were done under the watching eye of an expert. There are 'some' good videos on youtube which explain it quite well.

Anyhow, I don't have much help regarding getting those rootstocks, but if I were you I'd consider looking at just getting a specific tree on the required rootstock.

[Textuality]

I've done it a few times over the years. I generally do a couple at a time to assume at least a 50% failure rate.

[Paulieb]

I've done it a few times over the years. I generally do a couple at a time to assume at least a 50% failure rate.

Ah right - you don't need me to tell you how fiddly it can be (for me anyway).

Just found this site.... Gisela 5 ® - Cherry Rootstock - Bare Rooted - gb-online.co.uk
but it seems they've stopped supplying for this year.

[bearded bloke]

Edit - Ahh, maybe not. Delivery 2014, possibly a little too long for the tree to wait.

Looks like these are past the cut off for this year as well,which is a shame as they sell singles ..

Gisela 5 ® - Cherry Rootstock - Bare Rooted - gb-online.co.uk

Maybe worth a bell & ask if they know a supplier with a few in stock

[bearded bloke]

Snap Paulie

[FB.]

Taking graftwood from sick trees is not a good idea because it can propagate the disease and allow the disease even more time to find ways to attack the other nearby trees.
I've tried to save old trees which were dying from canker or phyopthora (for example) but a lot of the time the apparently-healthy graftwood will not "take", or if it does it fails to thrive or the whole young tree succumbs to canker or phytophthora a year or two later.

If a tree is genuinely riddled with diseases - especially cankerous diseases - it is better to get rid of it and plant something different or a variety with more resistance.
However, many salvageable trees are removed because the owner mis-diagnosed the problem, or dealt with the problem in the wrong way.

[sugar]

I agree with FB, but understand that you want to try saving those trees.
And I would certainly NOT buy a cheap tree from Lidl or Aldi for its Rootstock. I'm pretty sure it will NOT be Gisella5.