This hands-on course teaches students how to grow apple trees starting from seed and how to graft apple and other fruit trees to create specific varieties suited for small yards, homesteads, or wildlife habitat projects. Students will learn the full process of seed collection, cold stratification, germination, transplanting, and early tree care, while also exploring why seed-grown apple trees rarely produce identical fruit to the parent tree.
A major focus of the course is learning practical grafting techniques so students can combine hardy rootstock specific to Minnesota's demands. Students will also learn how grafting can be used to control tree size, improve disease resistance, increase production, and create multi-variety “family trees” that maximize fruit options in limited space.
By the end of the course, students will understand how to plan and maintain a small orchard, select varieties for pollination success, and design fruit tree plantings that support both human harvest and wildlife food sources. This course is ideal for gardeners, landowners, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone interested in growing productive fruit trees with long-term success.
Thursday, June 18th Arlington FACS Room
1:00-2:00pm
$FREE, but please register Min:5, Max 25
