Agree with you arnorrian, rootstocks are breed for a reason, be it disease resistance, drought tolerance or something else. Not always necessary but can be the difference between a trees survival or not. I know from first hand experience, my parents place has near perfectly draining top soil over 8 feet deep and they have had seedling nectarines survive for twenty plus years on their own roots. Here where I am on silt, I need to build up beds at least 30 cm to have any hope, own roots or grafted
Quote:
Originally Posted by arnorrian
There is also rootstock to think abou. Even if graft comes true, rootstock is there for a reason.
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Worth, the only peach that I am aware of that needs a pollinator is JH Hale, all the others are self compatible and would generally be block planted so there is no other genetics to cross with to form hybrids and induce variability. Think block planted corn of one variety as against changing the variety every second row to ensure pollination as happens with apples, pears etc.
Understand concerns re University comments, but often these are tied back to funding sources, sometimes truer information can come from talking to those that grow them.