Claims

Creating a story about a multi-grafted tree reverting to its rootstock (producing only the original rootstock fruit type rather than grafted varieties) is a myth; while reversion is theoretically possible, it is extraordinarily rare—millions of grafted trees are produced annually, and reversion has not been documented in practice.

Apple viruses and stone fruit viruses are prevalent in both Canada and the United States, making virus-indexed scion sourcing a critical practice for multi-grafted tree production.

Susan Poizner has been growing fruit trees for over 10 years and is the author of the award-winning book 'Growing Urban Orchards'; she hosts the Urban Forestry Radio Show and runs an online fruit tree care training website at orchard people.com offering courses, articles, and resources.

Commercial fruit tree nurseries and orchards (particularly in Ontario, as described by Kamyar) commonly use Myrobalan rootstocks for stone fruit because of their high compatibility across fruit varieties.

Sam has been growing apple varieties for approximately 10-11 years at the time of the show, which is not long enough to measure the rootstock-scion diameter mismatch phenomenon comprehensively.

Marion, a California home gardener, has successfully created multi-grafted trees with 450 different apple varieties on one tree, 60 pear varieties on one tree, a 30-in-one plum, a 30-in-one citrus, an 8-in-one avocado, and an 8-in-one persimmon; her neighbor's fruit garden has become a conversation piece and tourist attraction despite being a personal hobby experiment.

Multi-grafted fruit trees carry significant viral contamination risk if scion wood is shared from infected trees through casual scion exchanges; Taylor (admin of Backyard Apple Growers Facebook group) stopped grafting multi-variety trees to avoid spreading viruses to friends' trees, preferring to keep varieties segregated on separate rootstocks.

Sam grows the multi-grafted trees in square planters for the first 2-3 years, then root prunes them and transfers them to larger containers, gradually working up through progressively larger containers before planting in the ground; he grafts 15-20 varieties onto each tree before they are planted in soil, because once trees exceed 1-1.5 inch caliper size, they take longer to establish in the soil than saplings.

Grafting cannot successfully join apples with stone fruits (or other inter-family fruit combinations) because at a base level it comes down to cellular structure incompatibility, and even if grafts like pear-to-apple might succeed for a few years, they eventually fail.

In upstate New York over the past 6-7 years, erratic weather patterns have required Sam to grow fruit varieties from colder zones than his location because successive frosts (not cold temperatures themselves) kill blossoms; for example, January or February 75-degree weather causes trees to blossom early, then spring frosts kill all the fruit, so later-blooming cold-hardy varieties mitigate this risk.

All fruit trees require hands-on care, pest and disease management, and specialized pruning knowledge; naive expectations of zero maintenance will result in poor outcomes; fruit trees are a commitment similar to puppies—they require feeding, care, protection, and attention.

Growing fruit trees inside a commercial building is possible but challenging and requires either dropping the temperature below 45°F for at least 1,000 hours annually (to trigger dormancy and bud reset) or building a controlled glass house greenhouse that can simulate seasonal temperature cycles.

Luther Burbank developed the Santa Rosa plum in the early 20th century (~turn of the 20th century) by crossing Japanese plums, American plums, and Chinese plums, creating a variety with unusual genetic history and high compatibility for multi-grafting purposes.

If you plant multiple fruit trees in a small space, your garden may over time become a tangle of fruit trees all competing with each other for space and sunshine.

The cold-hardiness of a multi-grafted tree depends on the hardiness of the varieties grafted onto it; colder climates require selecting only zone 4 or zone 5 varieties to ensure tree survival.

Apple and pear trees grow slower than stone fruit trees, and testing varieties to understand their blossom timing and sequential blooming patterns requires extended observation periods before designing trees with coordinated blossom displays.

Grafting works because when two fruit varieties are grafted together, their cells merge and the tree's vascular system feeds both the base tree and the grafted variety, allowing genetically distinct trees to grow as one organism while each branch retains its original genetic identity and fruit type.

Tree of 40 Fruit projects exist in multiple US states from Maine to Arkansas, with several additional trees in California, as documented on Sam Van Aiken's website.

Nourished by healthy roots and lush green leaves, energy-filled buds are ready to bloom into vibrant orchid flowers in the near future.

Regularly changing the water when dirty in the orchid container keeps the growing environment clean and supports the semihydroponic recovery process.

Keeping the orchid pot in a cool place away from direct sunlight is necessary for the semihydroponic recovery method.

The presence of a worm in the growing medium is a warning sign that the environment is too wet and could harm roots if the medium is not changed in time.

Only healthy roots that are white, green, or slightly ivory in color and still feel firm and full of life to the touch should be retained during orchid root pruning.

Rinsing remaining roots thoroughly under running water removes dirt, old medium debris, and bacteria clinging to the roots, preparing them for the next recovery step.

Aloe vera has antibacterial properties and soothes and stimulates cell regeneration, making it excellent for orchid root recovery when combined with rice to create a natural mixture that helps the plant grow quickly and steadily.

Room temperature water (neither too cold nor too hot) helps preserve nutrients from rice and aloe vera while creating an ideal environment for natural ingredients to blend together.

Allowing the rice and aloe vera mixture to sit for 1 hour gives the rice time to absorb the water, facilitating nutrient release into the solution.

Stirring the rice and aloe vera mixture well helps nutrients from both ingredients dissolve evenly throughout the water, creating a balanced recovery solution.

Plump, round flower buds are a sign that an orchid plant is in its best stage of growth and has received proper nutrition from healthy roots.

While orchid roots soak, using a soft cloth dipped in the nutrient solution to gently wipe leaf surfaces not only cleans dust but also provides extra nutrients to leaves through the epidermis, making them shinier and fresher.

Wiping orchid leaves with the rice and aloe vera natural solution helps prevent fungal and bacterial growth on leaf surfaces due to aloe vera's mild antibacterial properties, especially protecting the plant during periods of weakness when it is more vulnerable to pathogens.

After soaking for 20 minutes, orchid roots should be gently dried with a soft cloth rather than left wet, preparing them for potting in the semihydroponic method.

Planting the orchid in a clear glass container facilitates observation of root development while adding elegance and softness to the living space.

The water level in the semihydroponic orchid container should only lightly touch the bottom of the roots to create a moderately humid environment that promotes healthy growth without the risk of rot.

Placing the orchid in a spot with gentle sunlight, good air circulation, and away from direct harsh sun allows the plant to photosynthesize well without burning the leaves.

Soaking orchid roots in the natural fertilizer mixture made from rice and aloe vera approximately once every 2 weeks, with water changes each time, keeps the environment clean, limits bacterial growth, and creates ideal conditions for roots to grow strong and stay healthy over time.

After 3 weeks of recovery using natural fertilizer and the semihydroponic method, the orchid displayed many new healthy roots as evidence of effective recovery and nutrient absorption.

Healthy young roots are proof of the orchid's strong vitality and the plant's gradual regaining of health after being properly cared for following root rot damage.

Orchids previously revived using the semihydroponic method combined with natural fertilizer have grown strong and started to form buds due to proper care.

The semihydroponic method of orchid care not only helps the plant grow strong and produce buds, but also allows flowers to stay on the stem for a long time with consistent nutrient uptake enabling vibrant, long-lasting blooms for many weeks.

In the semihydroponic method, roots receive adequate moisture while staying well aerated, preventing the common issue of root rot in overly wet environments.

Healthy orchid roots in semihydroponic growing grow long, thick, and cling firmly to the container sides, not only helping the plant stay upright but also indicating efficient absorption of water and nutrients.

When orchid roots are healthy, the leaves become greener and shinier due to efficient nutrient absorption from the recovered root system.

With patience and a little love each day, any orchid can be revived from a withered state and bloom beautifully, suggesting orchid recovery is achievable through consistent personal care regardless of initial condition.

Garlic is used as an ingredient to restore exhausted orchids with wrinkled leaves in a simple way.

Three cloves of garlic soaked in 2 liters of water for 2 hours creates a garlic solution that can be used to restore exhausted orchids.

Cutting off all flower stems and all damaged roots is necessary before treating an exhausted orchid with wilted leaves.

Filtering the garlic solution to remove residue and adding water to make 3 liters of total solution prepares the liquid for orchid treatment.

Adding three vitamin B1 tablets to the garlic solution and soaking the orchid roots for 20-30 minutes enhances the treatment with B vitamins that support plant recovery.

When orchid roots are submerged in an overly wet environment for too long, they lack the oxygen needed for respiration, leading to root rot and weakening the plant.