Apple M106 or M111

Looking for opinion on best rootstock for Mark Sheppards ‘STUN’ approach to be planted in various areas on my land.

Well drained sandy loam in zone 6a.

These will be grafted with different scions, the intention of choosing the rootstock is to have better height control in specific areas of property.

Thanks for advice!

I'm not familiar enough with the two you specifically asked about, but what I have heard can create good stock is to use "wild" apple trees. Here in Maine we have thousands of apple trees growing along the roads where people either planted them or tossed out an apple core. Find one of these old trees and take some cuttings to root. If it managed to grow for years on the side of the road with salt and who knows what else being thrown on it, then you know its going to be a tough root system to support it. Find a survivor in your area and I think you will have really good roots.

Be sure to try some pears as well, including Asians.  They have done better for us than apples under minimal management, wouldn’t quite call it stun, though.

Also look around for those ditch apples mentioned by Matt, they will give you a clue as to how well yours will work out.  

Took a lot of observation to figure out apples don’t work well at our elevation.  Too hot and too much disease.  Cedar apple rust will completely defoliate them, not quite kill them, but just keep them weak enough to where they don’t grow or produce well without management.  Just a little further up in elevation I start to see ditch apples that produce with no care at all.  You are probably near that line.

Rocky soil also helps deter voles which love soft loam.  You might mix in some gravel when you backfill your holes, a tip I got from a local grower.  I also planted daffodils around them as some said that helps.

for a hands-off approach i suspect you’d want the biggest, most vigorous genetics possible. of the two, if what i just read is right, m-106 is semi-dwarfing and m-111 is ‘semi-standard’, so the m111 would be most appropriate. perhaps more appropriate would be something true ‘standard’ sized, probably including planting from seed.

I’ve been doing wild seed for years as per Mark Shepards approach.

A drawn out reply that has nothing to do with my question, but thanks.

Gray Henon wrote:Be sure to try some pears as well, including Asians.  They have done better for us than apples under minimal management, wouldn’t quite call it stun, though.

Also look around for those ditch apples mentioned by Matt, they will give you a clue as to how well yours will work out.  

Took a lot of observation to figure out apples don’t work well at our elevation.  Too hot and too much disease.  Cedar apple rust will completely defoliate them, not quite kill them, but just keep them weak enough to where they don’t grow or produce well without management.  Just a little further up in elevation I start to see ditch apples that produce with no care at all.  You are probably near that line.

Rocky soil also helps deter voles which love soft loam.  You might mix in some gravel when you backfill your holes, a tip I got from a local grower.  I also planted daffodils around them as some said that helps.

greg mosser wrote:for a hands-off approach i suspect you’d want the biggest, most vigorous genetics possible. of the two, if what i just read is right, m-106 is semi-dwarfing and m-111 is ‘semi-standard’, so the m111 would be most appropriate. perhaps more appropriate would be something true ‘standard’ sized, probably including planting from seed.

My thoughts as well, thank you for the affirmation Gregg.