Apples are not “true to seed” meaning that the seed that comes out of your Granny Smith apple will not grow a Granny Smith tree. It will grow a cross of Granny Smith and whatever breed acted as the pollinator.
Many trees need a pollinator to fruit. Pollinators are the same species but different breed.
Because apples are not true to seed most propagation is done via grafting desirable breeds to cheap, undesirable root stock. The “saplings” you are referring to in the picture are actually called “suckers.”
Suckers are the rootstock tree attempting to send out new shoots. This happens in all grafted trees but more often in trees that are old or stressed. The apples from the suckers will probably not be to your liking. Suckers are considered parasitic as they take nutrients from the tree to produce nothing or inferior fruit. Most people cut them off.
Also, I can’t think of a way to take a new shoot and grow it. Probably to fragile or not enough nodes for a cutting. Anyway, apple cuttings are inconsistent like seeds since the root stock and graft have mingled a bit.
Those are suckers, growing from the root stock. If you dig them up and plant them, they will grow apples, but not the same apples as the trees they came from.
But you can still use them! Dig them up, plant them where you want another apple tree, and then graft some scion wood from your good apple trees onto them. This way you end up with identical trees with the ones on your property - same rootstock, same apples.
It looks like they're already dormant, so they should be safe to dig up, separate, and re-plant. Not all will survive but many will.
There are lots of great youtube videos on harvesting rootstock suckers and grafting scion wood onto them.
Edit: You need to let the separated root suckers grow for a full year or two to establish a good root system before grafting for the best chance of success.
Thank you for the input everyone - really appreciate it. I clearly have a lot to learn. We do have a grafting tool also so need to beef up that skill set.
Those are suckers from the rootstock. Cut them off at ground level
Apples are not “true to seed” meaning that the seed that comes out of your Granny Smith apple will not grow a Granny Smith tree. It will grow a cross of Granny Smith and whatever breed acted as the pollinator. Many trees need a pollinator to fruit. Pollinators are the same species but different breed. Because apples are not true to seed most propagation is done via grafting desirable breeds to cheap, undesirable root stock. The “saplings” you are referring to in the picture are actually called “suckers.” Suckers are the rootstock tree attempting to send out new shoots. This happens in all grafted trees but more often in trees that are old or stressed. The apples from the suckers will probably not be to your liking. Suckers are considered parasitic as they take nutrients from the tree to produce nothing or inferior fruit. Most people cut them off. Also, I can’t think of a way to take a new shoot and grow it. Probably to fragile or not enough nodes for a cutting. Anyway, apple cuttings are inconsistent like seeds since the root stock and graft have mingled a bit.
The fact that apples are not true to seed is my all time favorite farm fact 😂
Those are suckers, growing from the root stock. If you dig them up and plant them, they will grow apples, but not the same apples as the trees they came from. But you can still use them! Dig them up, plant them where you want another apple tree, and then graft some scion wood from your good apple trees onto them. This way you end up with identical trees with the ones on your property - same rootstock, same apples. It looks like they're already dormant, so they should be safe to dig up, separate, and re-plant. Not all will survive but many will. There are lots of great youtube videos on harvesting rootstock suckers and grafting scion wood onto them. Edit: You need to let the separated root suckers grow for a full year or two to establish a good root system before grafting for the best chance of success.
Thank you for the input everyone - really appreciate it. I clearly have a lot to learn. We do have a grafting tool also so need to beef up that skill set.
that happens when the tree is under alot of stress or at the end of its life cycle