Propagation Apple Cuttings? (Not grafting)

I know it can be done. A lot of the info out there is fairly old. Can it be done on any practical level of success? I'm thinking in a greenhouse with a mister and some fungus prevention methods. There are a lot of old trees in my town that are no longer available. Seems every property has a few ancient apple trees. Some of them are quite exceptional. I would love to bring some of them back and propagate them on our lot.

Thought you can propagate then just by driving into the ground?  Looking forward to what is discussed on this topic, because I know little

apple cuttings are doable but grafting will have vastly better success rate. for cuttings, it’s usually hardwood cuttings taken in early winter. bottom heat/cool tips but keep them from freezing - you need them to grow roots before even thinking about leaves. then once there are roots, transplant out in spring to start leaves.

my warning is just that cuttings from apples are not really entry-level cuttings. there are a lot of things that propagate easier from cuttings than apple, which is why grafting is frequently the recommended method for apple.

greg mosser wrote:apple cuttings are doable but grafting will have vastly better success rate. for cuttings, it’s usually hardwood cuttings taken in early winter. bottom heat/cool tips but keep them from freezing - you need them to grow roots before even thinking about leaves. then once there are roots, transplant out in spring to start leaves.

my warning is just that cuttings from apples are not really entry-level cuttings. there are a lot of things that propagate easier from cuttings than apple, which is why grafting is frequently the recommended method for apple.

I've played around with elder and poplar. I'm going to set up a small nursery tunnel this fall and thought I aught to try a pile of apple cuttings in the corner at the very least. I'll be filling it mostly with elder and mulberry.

William Wallace wrote:Thought you can propagate then just by driving into the ground?  Looking forward to what is discussed on this topic, because I know little

Apple is one of the harder stock to root.

I got Bittenfelder apple variété. They're basicly used as rootstock for grafts where i live.
I've planted them at an angle and pull the tops down. So they're horizontally basicly.
The tree throws out shoots all along that laying branch which i cover over the season with mulch and earth.
Roots form that way on the vertically shoots.
I cut off the rooted shoots when leaves dropped in autumn.
Same for cherry tree and a kind of Hawthorn used as rootstock for a spécial type of pear.

Akiva Silver's idea from his book 'trees of power'

I've tried to take cuttings and put them in a wirebottomheated container for cuttings. No succès in summer. But i'll try this winter with those easily footing Bittenfelder variety.

had some success , 3 cuttings out of 10 , planted them out just as they were starting to bud open , they were about a foot long  ,and these  rooted out from were there had been buds forming , these were taken from an old orchard of a non grafted type , no idea what they are and only 3 seasons old now ---no apples yet.