I'm interested too. I just had a 200 year oak cut down, and suddenly I have sun. I'm thinking dwarf apple trees, because I have two beehives, and so far I've been able to find this, http://www.hgic.umd.edu/content/onlinepublications.cfm#Vegetable%20and%20Herb%20Gardening
It's an online pub. from the MD Cooperative Extension Service about fruit trees.
It sounds like you know a bit about rootstock, I don't even know this much. If you make a selection, would you please share what, and why so I can learn?
Thanks

Wow, a 200-year Oak! It must have left behind a *lot* of space! And a lot of feeling!

I stumbled on a description of dwarf apple trees in a book on kitchen gardening (called "Kitchen Garden"), and it recommended the M-27 as being a true dwarf. In the book, it was shaped into a single trunk with a flat canopy, and the whole thing looked about 3-4 feet tall. You can also shape into other shapes such as cordon, espalier, etc.

I contacted Raintree Nursery in WA, and they emailed back something about a "combo mini tree." I'm guessing it's two or three varieties on a single rootstock, so that you don't have to plant 2-3 different varieties for them to cross-pollinate. I haven't had the chance to follow up with them and verify.

I found your link to the Extension Service really helpful and wonder why I didn't think of it! I might call them first. The extension service listed Edible Landscaping of VA -- I might call them also.

I'll post on what I find out next week.
deepti

Great! keep updating. Yes, this tree is (was)one of the main reasons we bought our little house. When people asked us about it, we could barely remember if there was a dishwasher / shower etc. we were just captivated by the tree. Oh well, sigh. Now we have sun in our backyard, and more possibilities.

Edble Landscaping is very expensive (I would say overpriced)and half the stuff I bouoght from them died. There is a nice Amish-run nursey in Lancaster County where you can get a variety of trees, I think on different rootstocks. I can look up address if you're interested. Adams County Nursery is also a good source, but they don't have the super-dwarfing rootstock. But you can learn a lot from their site.

Here is a link that might be useful: Adams County Nursery