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[nafex] Tender rootstocks in zone 3



Stubbs Rockyman,
David Bedford of the MN extension told me that MM 111 should do well 
in the northern MN snowbelt, as they get reliable snow and have grown 
similar rootstocks in N. MN for many years. I myself wouldn't use 
such cold tender rootstocks though unless you have pure sand. Why 
take the risk or that early, pre- snow sub zero killer? The standards 
in that area don't grow very large anyway. (I have my nursery in zone 
3, 95 day season, N WI) I thought I had pure sand on my land in N WI 
until I saw the "soil" of one of my customers just north of my 
nursery, as pure as beach sand. I will be grafting some super hardy 
varieties for her on MM 111, in her case the soil is the major 
concern. (She could certainly build up the soil but this hasn't been 
possible for her and it would take an awful lot of organic matter). 
Bernie Nikolai has been using some tender rootstocks also if I recall 
in his zone 3 orchard. My 111 rootstocks are 12 year old I believe at 
my N. WI site, they die back to the snow line each winter but the 
roots have not been damaged yet. 
Kevin



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