Fairly specific apple growing query...

Kalimna

Greetings folks,
If anyone has horticultural knowledge, Id be most grateful to hear your advice...
I have a good number of apple pips germinating in the fridge (from 4 different 'donor' trees), approaching 5 months in cold stratification. Most have roots showing so now is the time to plant on.
My question is twofold - what is the best compost to help onward growth? And how would you adapt the germinated pips going from cold fridge to outdoor temps?
Cheers,

Adam

P.S. I know Im unlikely to have true to parent tree apples, and that growth vigour uncertain and it may take several years to reach fruiting if at all.

BigMonka

I would suggest a dedicated "potting compost" as its very fine so the roots have less resistance to growing.
I'd probably go from the fridge to somewhere that is a cool, but consistent, temperature for a few days before then potting and leaving somewhere which is a consistently warmer (>7degC) temperature.

BigMonka

One thing to note is that most fruit trees that you buy for putting in a normal residential garden have been grafted onto dwarf root stock. This keeps them a suitable and manageable size, you may find that yours end up huge - albeit in a lot of years time!

HerrMetal

Can't help with the question but can I ask what varieties they are? We have something like 25 different apple trees that we have planted over the years. Mrs HM is a bit obsessed! She's having some success doing some grafts from the favourites in preparation for potentially moving.

Kalimna

BigMonka said:

I would suggest a dedicated "potting compost" as its very fine so the roots have less resistance to growing.
I'd probably go from the fridge to somewhere that is a cool, but consistent, temperature for a few days before then potting and leaving somewhere which is a consistently warmer (>7degC) temperature.

Thanks for the advice - pretty much backs up what I thought Id do, cheers. Regarding eventual tree size - we'll have to wait and see

HerrMetal said:

Can't help with the question but can I ask what varieties they are? We have something like 25 different apple trees that we have planted over the years. Mrs HM is a bit obsessed! She's having some success doing some grafts from the favourites in preparation for potentially moving.

Im afraid I can't really help you there. One tree is wild from side of the road (beautiful red/green apples with soft flesh and a very 'appley' flavour), another is from my mum's garden (a variety of Russet) and the other is from a cider apple possibly Tremletts Bitter.
However i do have a few other trees : 
Bloody Ploughman
Bundys Ringwood Red
Discovery
Sunshine
Another red-fleshed variety - interestingly when young, the heartwood is pink/purple.
Adam's Pearmain
James Grieve
Isaac Newton Tree
Bramley
Another 4-5 whose names I have forgotten.

If you'd like any cuttings for grafting, let me know.

Cheers,
Adam

HerrMetal

Of those I know we have a Bloody Ploughman as it's one of the more recent additions. Has a nice story behind it but how much is true who knows? I don't think we have any of the others that you mention.  I'm not sure we need any more, but then I get overruled on that side of things!

Kurtis

I don't know what the seads will turn out like, might not be very good and be nothing like the parent tree. Might not even produce fruit, or anything edible. 

To be guaranteed you need to clone/graft them.

A bit like roses, once the mother plant dies it's basically gone.