Q. I planted
an ornamental crabapple tree in my front yard a few years ago. It
seems to be growing well, and it blooms beautifully in the spring.
The only problem is that shoots keep growing around the base of the
tree. I have been cutting them off, but they seem to grow right
back. Is there anything that will get rid of these sprouts once and
for all?
A. It is common
for grafted trees such as flowering crabapples and cherries to
develop suckers around the base. They are growing off the rootstock
that the trees were grafted onto. You are right to keep them pruned
off, because they compete with the top of the tree for water and
nutrients. Since they are lush, vegetative growth, they are also
prime sites for insect and disease problems to get started that may
affect the rest of the tree. Finally, they detract from the tree’s
appearance.
'Indian Summer' crabapple blossoms
Unfortunately,
there is no permanent solution to suckers. Never use any type of
herbicide to try to get rid of them, because it can severely damage
the tree itself. There is a product called Sucker Stopper, a plant
growth regulator made by Monterey Lawn & Garden Products that
reduces the number and frequency of re-sprouts. It is applied to
suckers that are less than 10 inches tall and keeps suckers down for
about three months.
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You may wish to try tearing them off the tree in May while they are
still small, rather than pruning them. This removes the bud that the
suckers are sprouting from, while pruning leaves the bud intact. If
you tear them off while they are small, the wound should be small
enough to callus over quickly. By removing the bud, you are removing
the source of the suckers. There are many dormant buds elsewhere on
the rootstock that will continue to sprout, but that particular bud
will not.
Several types of trees will develop annoying sprouts
There is a product called Sucker Stopper, manufactured by Monterey
Chemical Co. This is a growth regulator that can be sprayed on the
cut surface of the suckers just after you cut them off. It will
probably not totally eliminate the problem, but it should reduce the
suckering somewhat.
Caring for fruit trees
Surface roots on
trees
Tree root
problems
Sandy's
Tree Tips
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