[Audy70]

A friend gave me cuttings from her apple tree but having done a bit of reading, it doesn't seem that they are worth planting. I've come across two bits of info, one saying that the cuttings will not be hardy, as not grafted onto a hardy rootstock and that the fruit may not be true to the parent as the rootstock does have an effect on the graft. So, are the cuttings destined for the compost heap or should I give them a try?

[Kristen]

I don't see why the Apples would be different, but withOUT grafting you'd potentially have a large tree and one that lacked any other benefit of the rootstock used in grafting - disease resistance perhaps.

If the cutting you have is precious and not easily replace you could (although seems quite a lot of trouble?!!) grow it and then buy one/some rootstocks next year (or maybe the year after that) and use your rooted cutting as a source of Scion material to graft onto the rootstocks, and then chuck the original rooted cutting plant.