Why do fruit trees have to be grafted? Since “own-root” roses are supposed to be better than the bud-grafted kind – wouldn fruit trees struck from cuttings be cheaper and easier?
A. It’s true most rose varieties do better on their own roots – but fruit trees are a whole different matter. Trees are much larger- taller and wider- and are required to support the weight of a heavy fruit crop. This means they need a very strong, well anchored root system which can stand up to the hardships of fruit cropping and extreme weather. Over the centuries, orchardists have discovered that the healthiest, longest-lived trees were those grafted on a rootstock grown from a seed. When grafted, these seedling understocks generally produce vigorous, standard-sized trees with very deep, efficient root systems. They are less likely to be infected with virus and should have more resistance to bacterial and fungal diseases like crown rot. In comparison, own-root fruit trees of most species – propagated clonally from suckers, cuttings, or tissue culture – tend to have weak, shallow root systems typically conformed like a goose-foot. This makes for a very poorly anchored tree prone to b
