ca_cherry_grower: No I did not start the non-pareil almond from a seed. It's from Costco (I believe Coiner Nursery) and was a bareroot purchase. It appeared to be a branch cutting that was rooted. Unfortunately the tips on all the terminal branches on the almond seem to be dying back and I am not sure whether it will survive. It's been 3 weeks that it's been planted (7+ hours direct sun) but not sign of any buds opening. No leaves. Nothing. They only had the non-pareil at that time. I wanted to buy another almond, but since this one is having a tough time, I am not sure about getting another. Actually I am having bad experience with 5 out of 7 bareroot plants from Costco. Above stated almond may not make it. And I had bought 4 barerroot roses from them (By Jackson Perkins) and all 4 of them developed canker. 2 of them actually had fungal infections on the roots when I opened the root wraps. I just washed the roots and treated them with fungicide hoping for the best. And all of this after picking the plants up relatively early in the season from Costco, soaking the roots overnight in room temperature water, planting them per instructions and regular irrigation (not timed, but need based - am checking the soil every single time before watering). I already spoke with Jackson and Perkins on the roses and they asked me to take them back to Costco. I spoke with Costco and they said I can bring them back anytime within a year. I want to give the roses some more time and see what happens (I hate returning stuff to Costco - given their low prices and everything!). The infected branches on the roses have been pruned but it might still be a problem coz. the main stems are infected too. I am currently treating them systemically and had even sprayed them before beginning the systemic treatment. If they do show some growth, at least enough to give me a branch or two at the end of season for rooting, I might keep them - even if it will set me back by a year or 2. Two are patented, so I will need permissions from the hybridizer - which I am not sure how easy it will be. Let's see. I have a visit planned on the 6th to a nursery in Fremont, CA (Regan's Nursery). I might pick up some more roses from there and if they have the almods and lime - then I might pick those up too. I will give the current almond tree I have until then. Edlo - Thanks for the tip on pruning. I will look it up on google.

Cross grafting is certainly reasonable. It's probably a little late to chip bud but you might try that now. If no go there collect scion wood in late winter to try whip&tongue, cleft, bark, or splice graft in April. If that fails try T budding in June. Grafting onto the trunk isn't a doable plan because you can't cut back enough to force the new portion to grow. You'd do better on a major branch. I guess what I'm saying is be prepared to cut off everything above your graft or bud in order to force the new variety to growth. You can probably find someone to trade scions but cross grafting will work just as well. I don't really see that much difference in maturity in mine to get me excited about adding more cultivars to extend harvest. What varieties do you have now?

Generally 2 trees only need to be within 50 feet (15 meters) of each other to cross pollinate. Pollination does usually require insects (most commonly bees), but can also be done by hand. Even if you do not commonly see bees in your yard, it is usually nothing to worry about. The bees will appear when the tree is covered in blossoms. In many parts of the country people only need to plant one apple tree in their yard, because there are usually a few other apple trees (or crabapples) growing somewhere in the neighborhood and the local bees are likely to be carrying pollen. The only reason I could see to ever want to plant the trees closer together is if they are very young trees with only a handful of blossoms that are unlikely to attract many bees. But in that case why not just pollinate by hand? The quality of the fruit is entirely dependent on the tree it is growing on; the variety that was used to pollinize it does not affect the fruit, though it does take a pollinizer for fruit to be able to form in the first place. Sweet cherries have a different number of chromosomes from sour cherries, and a cross between the two results in a triploid hybrid. Such a hybrid can still produce fruit, but the seeds are sterile. Sweet cherries have 16 chromosomes, while sour cherries have 32. Somewhat interestingly, wild Japanese cherry blossom trees have the same number of chromosomes as sweet cherries, while wild cherry varieties native to America (these include Black Cherry and Capulin) have the same number as sour cherries. This has implications for cross-breeding potential. Many cultivated cherry blossom varieties, including most in the serrulata group, are sterile triploid hybrids (with 24 chromosomes), and can only be propagated from cuttings.

Yes, crabs make good pollinators for apples, providing the bloom times coordinate and the tree is close enough - and this one is :-) Often commercial apple orchards interplant with crabs to ensure proper cross pollination but often different apple selections are planted in close enough proximity so that occurs with the different varieties. I wouldn't rely just on it happening on its own - it usually doesn't - and research on growing apples commercially will confirm that: "All apple cultivars require cross-pollination with a pollinizer (not to be confused with a pollinator, which is a bee) to ensure commercial quality fruit and yields. Varieties differ in their self-fruitfulness. For example, Golden Delicious is considered partially self-fruitful, while Red Delicious is not. Regardless of the degree of self-fruitfulness, provide cross-pollination in every planting. With respect to cross-pollination, all red sports and spur types are considered the same as the parent variety. For example, Yorking is not a pollinizer for York Imperial. Closely related varieties may not pollinate one another—for example, McIntosh, and Early McIntosh. Triploid varieties do not pollinate any varieties. Otherwise, all varieties with satisfactory pollen are pollinizers of one another if the bloom periods overlap. It is advisable to have three pollinizer varieties in all Stayman and Winesap blocks." Orchard Pollination