250 varieties of apple on one tree (2013)

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32 pointsTomte4 comments

My parents were getting way too many apricots on their apricot tree and many were going to waste, their arborist suggested, and then implemented, cutting back the tree and grafting on some other fruits (as I recall it was plums and peaches) which had different fruiting times. It was a big win for them.

People were always dubious of my claims that a neighbor's tree produced both oranges and lemons; I did not realize that this kind of intentional grafting was the likely cause (or that it was so relatively common). Strange the things I just took for granted in the days before there was an Internet that could be used to easily investigate.

Grafting apricots/apples/etc is relatively easy.

Citrus trees are much more finicky about taking grafts.

I grafted two varieties onto the tree in my backyard this past year (Fiesta and Honey crisp). Fun to see them both "take", although it looks now like some insect or perhaps woodpecker has bored some holes into the branches, so we'll see if they survive.

I got the scions via a local home orchard group, and it was pretty amazing to see all of the varieties they had available. I also got a new tree grafted onto rootstock from them - Spitzenburg. They have a tasting in the fall and I liked that one the best.

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