Written by Admin and published on https://www.ronlittlestreeservice.net/.
Tree suckers are a nuisance for many homeowners and green thumbs.
Also known as basal shoots, they consist of new shoots that emerge from
the base of a tree’s trunk.
They are called “tree suckers” because they literally suck and consume valuable water and nutrients, restricting the main tree’s growth.
Once tree suckers begin growing, the tree will receive less water and fewer nutrients, resulting in increased stress and potentially death.
Tree Sucker Management on Landscape Trees
If you have noticed weak, shrubby growth around the base of a
tree in your yard, these stems aren’t the result of germinating seeds or
weeds – they are suckers. Suckers are small twigs or stems that grow up
from a tree’s roots, often near the trunk. Suckers can pose issues to
your tree, so control of them is often necessary.
Sucker Basics
Suckers can grow in at time,
but spring and early summer are typically when you will notice the most
heavy sucker growth simply because the entire tree is in its main
growth cycle.
Damage and Concerns
Suckers aren’t just harmless twigs – their quick growth siphons
away energy, nutrients, and water from the canopy overhead. This in
turn can weaken a tree. Further, increased sucker production can
indicate that a tree is under stress and trying to quickly produce new
growth to account for the stresses in the canopy. Common causes of tree
stress include pest pressures, disease, and cultural issues like drought
or nutrient deficiency.
Susceptible Trees
Some types of trees are more susceptible to sucker growth than
others. Grafted trees, for example, often produce suckers from the
original root stock to compete with the graft. Other popular landscapes
with tendencies to sucker include locusts, beeches, forsythia, and some
maple varieties. If you have susceptible trees on your property, sucker
management may be an annual necessity.
Sucker Removal
Suckers can, fortunately, be removed without any damage or stress to the tree.
Pruning Methods
The simplest way to manage suckers is to cut them off as soon
as you notice one emerging. The goal is to remove the suckers when they
are still young and easy to cut, before they develop woody bark. You can
use a clean, sharp knife or pruning shears to cut the suckers off just
below the soil surface. The closer that you can cut to the base of the
sucker, the less likely it is to regrow.
Root Removal
Sometimes suckers come up from trees you have already had
removed or from roots growing a fair distance from the parent tree. If
you have suckers coming up from an old stump or the remains of a removed
tree’s root system, you may need to have the old stump or root ball
removed to stop sucker growth.
If suckers are repeatedly coming up from a root far from the
tree, a tree service can sometimes remove the problem root without
compromising the health of the main tree.
Sucker Prevention
Suckers can sometimes be prevented or at least their growth can
be lessened, which is helpful if you have a tree that is a prolific
sucker producer.
Mulch Application
Mulch can sometimes suppress sucker growth, particularly with
suckers that grow from far flung roots as opposed to right against the
tree trunk. Start by removing any suckers that are currently present and
then lay down a layer of plastic or fabric mulch. Then, cover the
plastic or fabric with layer, a few inches deep, of wood chip mulch.
Make sure none of the mulch actually touches the trunk.
Chemical Controls
Growth inhibitors are another option for minimizing sucker
growth, but they must be used cautiously. These inhibitors can stop
sucker growth for up to three months, but the most effective varieties
can only be purchased and applied by a professional tree service. These
products are sprayed on the cutting wound that is made when the suckers
are pruned off. The inhibitor will soak into the remaining sucker bud
and prevent it from regrowing.
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