apple tree suckers - Ask Extension
i have an apple tree stump @ 15'' in diameter @3'' above grade, with 2 sucker trees growing from the edge of the stump, both are @ 1'' in diameter ,@ ...
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apple tree suckers #140114
Asked July 11, 2013, 6:03 PM EDT
i have an apple tree stump @ 15'' in diameter @3'' above grade, with 2 sucker trees growing from the edge of the stump, both are @ 1'' in diameter ,@ 8.5 ft tall, with @ 6'' from each at the base, they are preventing each other from growing branches between them, I heard that if I cut one down the other will become a apple tree , is this right, if so which one do I cut ? thanks Mark-[ sterling ln , behind Jordan's greenhouse, on tafthill], I also understand this area was once a fruit orchard
Larimer County Colorado
Expert Response
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your question. Are the suckers coming up from the old stump or from the ground from the roots? It's a tricky question to answer, simply because the majority (if not all) apples are grafted onto rootstocks. This is done because the rootstocks are very hardy and can tolerate cold temperatures...but usually the rootstocks don't produce desirable apple trees. So growers will grow trees using rootstocks, then cut off all top growth and graft the desired cultivar onto the rootstock. The graft union is that knobby area above ground...it's swollen. So it's possible that these suckers, located just 3" above ground, are from the rootstock.
The suckers may not be well attached and can be prone to breakage in storms, since they haven't formed the tissues that "holds" a trunk in place. They formed from adventitious buds from the trunk/rootstock.
But at this point, it's worth a shot. Pick the straightest and healthiest sucker and cut the other off. You may want to stake it to try to straighten the trunk. The prune and train as a regular apple tree. Depending on what rootstock (or cultivar) the tree is, it may bear fruit in a couple years or may take several years.
I would also suggest that you remove all grass from around the base of the tree. Apply a thick layer of mulch (3-4") near to, but not touching, the trunk. Keep a ring of mulch at least 2-3' wide. Then you won't have to mow around it. As grass grows through the mulch ring, hand-pull it or consider using a product like glyphosate (Roundup), being very careful around the leaves of the tree.
For pruning information, visit: http://www.cmg.colostate.edu/gardennotes/771.html and http://learningstore.uwex.edu/Training-and-Pruning-Apple-Trees-P411.aspx (at the bottom of the page, click on the .pdf icon)
See how it goes...there's not guarantee that this will work, but again, your investment (other than your time) is minimal. Another option is to do this, and also plant another apple purchased at a nursery as a back-up...just in case :)
Thanks for your question. Are the suckers coming up from the old stump or from the ground from the roots? It's a tricky question to answer, simply because the majority (if not all) apples are grafted onto rootstocks. This is done because the rootstocks are very hardy and can tolerate cold temperatures...but usually the rootstocks don't produce desirable apple trees. So growers will grow trees using rootstocks, then cut off all top growth and graft the desired cultivar onto the rootstock. The graft union is that knobby area above ground...it's swollen. So it's possible that these suckers, located just 3" above ground, are from the rootstock.
The suckers may not be well attached and can be prone to breakage in storms, since they haven't formed the tissues that "holds" a trunk in place. They formed from adventitious buds from the trunk/rootstock.
But at this point, it's worth a shot. Pick the straightest and healthiest sucker and cut the other off. You may want to stake it to try to straighten the trunk. The prune and train as a regular apple tree. Depending on what rootstock (or cultivar) the tree is, it may bear fruit in a couple years or may take several years.
I would also suggest that you remove all grass from around the base of the tree. Apply a thick layer of mulch (3-4") near to, but not touching, the trunk. Keep a ring of mulch at least 2-3' wide. Then you won't have to mow around it. As grass grows through the mulch ring, hand-pull it or consider using a product like glyphosate (Roundup), being very careful around the leaves of the tree.
For pruning information, visit: http://www.cmg.colostate.edu/gardennotes/771.html and http://learningstore.uwex.edu/Training-and-Pruning-Apple-Trees-P411.aspx (at the bottom of the page, click on the .pdf icon)
See how it goes...there's not guarantee that this will work, but again, your investment (other than your time) is minimal. Another option is to do this, and also plant another apple purchased at a nursery as a back-up...just in case :)
