Tree Suckers - Ask Extension
I have at least 5 trees in my yard at Reiles Acres that have developed a huge number of suckers. How do I get them to go away. I prune and they come b...
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Tree Suckers #661012
Asked July 07, 2020, 1:45 PM EDT
I have at least 5 trees in my yard at Reiles Acres that have developed a huge number of suckers. How do I get them to go away. I prune and they come back. There is no mulch around any of these trees. I've read a lot and everyone blames it on mulch. Isn't any and never has been.
Cass County North Dakota
Expert Response
Thank you for your question.
What kind of trees are these and do you have any photos. Some trees and especially some shrubs are prone to suckers.
Root suckers can appear if the tree has been stressed such as a mechanical wound by a trimmer or lawn mower or rabbit damage.
More information is needed.
What kind of trees are these and do you have any photos. Some trees and especially some shrubs are prone to suckers.
Root suckers can appear if the tree has been stressed such as a mechanical wound by a trimmer or lawn mower or rabbit damage.
More information is needed.
I have a lot of images but I'll put three on and if you want more, let me know. The tree varieties are Canadian Choke Cherry, Crab Apple, Apple, Almost every tree we have.
More photos
Hello gardener.
Canada Red Cherry (also known as Schubert chokecherry) trees and apple trees can be prone to suckering even if they are healthy and thriving and there has been no mechanical or critter damage.
The Canada Red Cherry is sold as an ornamental tree, however it really wants to be a shrub and is very prone to suckering.
In apple trees the suckers most often come from the root stock so even if you used the suckers to get more trees you would get the hardy root stock variety not the variety you planted.
It is best to prune the suckers as soon as possible so they do not divert nutrients from the main tree. I wish I had the answer you were hoping for. You are not doing anything wrong; suckering is a common problem in orchard trees.
By the way mulch does not cause suckering. Correct mulching would use a shredded cedar three inches away from the trunk of the tree, three feet out from the tree and about three inches deep. Mulching conserves water, keeps weeds down, adds nutrients to the soil as it breaks down and keeps the lawn mower and edger far enough away to prevent damaging the tree trunk.
Canada Red Cherry (also known as Schubert chokecherry) trees and apple trees can be prone to suckering even if they are healthy and thriving and there has been no mechanical or critter damage.
The Canada Red Cherry is sold as an ornamental tree, however it really wants to be a shrub and is very prone to suckering.
In apple trees the suckers most often come from the root stock so even if you used the suckers to get more trees you would get the hardy root stock variety not the variety you planted.
It is best to prune the suckers as soon as possible so they do not divert nutrients from the main tree. I wish I had the answer you were hoping for. You are not doing anything wrong; suckering is a common problem in orchard trees.
By the way mulch does not cause suckering. Correct mulching would use a shredded cedar three inches away from the trunk of the tree, three feet out from the tree and about three inches deep. Mulching conserves water, keeps weeds down, adds nutrients to the soil as it breaks down and keeps the lawn mower and edger far enough away to prevent damaging the tree trunk.
