melissabeth2010
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Location: CT

fruit tree question

I made a mistake planting a bare root fruit tree. I planted the graft line below the grond. will this kill the tree? :?: :oops:

DoubleDogFarm
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NO

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I think it will depend on the tree. Graft joint could be pretty high up....

JONA878
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Are you sure that it is the graft line that you have planted below soil level?
Modern grafting is usually done much higher nowadays because of just such an eventuality.
You should not plant the graft below soil level for two reasons.
It will allow soil pathogens to enter the main body of the tree.
The main ones being Collar Rot and Canker.
It also means that the main trunk could easily produce roots itself. This would completely nullify the reasons for having a root stock grafted in the first place.

DoubleDogFarm
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MB2010,

When did you plant your peach tree? Could you lift and replant?

I know a few families here on the island that purposely planted, some of their trees, below the graft. It's hard to find Standard fruit trees of varieties of choice. Will a grafted dwarf or semi-dwarf planted below the graft become a standard? I'm not sure. Will the dwarfing rootstock have zero influence? Again I don't know. Years will tell. :?


Eric

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!potatoes!
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Location: wnc - zones 6/7 line

can you dig away soil from down to the graft? in general, the reason to avoid the graft being below the soil line is to keep the scion from rooting-thus losing any benefits from the rootstock....short-term it's not a problem, but if (like doubledog asks it's on dwarfing rootstock and you don't have room for a full-size tree, it could be a problem (conversely, if size and possible disease resistance aren't something you're worried about, you probably don't need to bother with trying to change anything).



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