How to Grow an Apple Tree From Branch Cuttings

Apple trees grown from branch cuttings are just like the parent tree.

Branch cuttings are a way to propagate fruit trees. A cutting is like a clone of the tree it was taken from. Once it takes root and grows, it will produce the same kind of fruit and be genetically identical to its parent plant. Cuttings can be taken from young branch wood on apple trees to grow a new tree of the same type.

Things You'll Need

• Peat moss
• Perlite
• Container
• Rooting hormone

Instructions

1. Mix 1 part peat moss with 1 part perlite in a container with four drainage holes. Water the mixture until it leaks out of the bottom.

2. Select a 1-year-old branch from your apple tree. Choose a healthy branch that is 10 to 12 inches long. Cut the branch from the tree during the winter when the apple tree is dormant.

3. Remove all leaves from the cutting and dip the cut end of the branch into rooting hormone.

4. Place the cut end of the branch into the peat moss and perlite mixture about 2 to 3 inches deep. Place the cutting in a dark, humid room with a constant temperature. Keep the rooting medium moist at all times.

5. Transplant the apple tree cutting to your yard in the early spring or fall when the cutting is 2 to 3 feet in height. Dig a hole for the transplant as deep as the root ball and three times as wide. Fill the hole with soil. Choose a sunny location with well-drained soil.

References

• Arizona Master Gardener: Plant Propagation: Asexual Propagation
• Washington State University: Propagating Deciduous and Evergreen Shrubs, Trees, and Vines With Stem Cuttings