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why do trees send up shoots

Lucky68Lucky68 Posts: 10
in Problem solving
Why do trees send up shoots? Do I need to be worried and if so how do I prevent it from happening?

Posts

  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    Do you mean suckering from the base or do you mean lots of shoots from branches? Some trees send out small shoots if pruned back quite hard or at the wrong time. And some trees are also prone to suckering from the base, like Lime trees.
  • Lucky68Lucky68 Posts: 10
    one of the trees is a dwarf apple tree and the other is a Malus. The Malus has shoot coming out the ground, close to the bottom of the trunk and the apple, it may be from the fallen fruit that apple seeds are taking root
     
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    Sounds like suckers from the root stock area, but could be wrong. I think best post a photo so others can help check.

    The growth down there will not be the same as your tree at the top, so needs pruning away, otherwise they may end up taking over. If you let them grow, they may weaken your tree by taking all its nutrients. 
  • Lucky68Lucky68 Posts: 10
    thank you for all your comments, you are correct in saying that the suckers are coming from the root stock and i will just have to keep pruning as they come up.
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    The theory is that tearing the suckers from the root manually makes them less likely to re-shoot whereas cutting them may actually encourage more shoots to form at the cut.  I always try and pull suckers up for that reason.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Lucky68Lucky68 Posts: 10
    I have now cleared the area at the bottom of the tree trunk so I can see better.  It looks like the suckers are coming up from the bottom of the tree rather than shoots. I won't be able to pull them up from the ground, it looks like I would have to put my spade in and break them off.  Any thoughts?


  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Can you check that the leaves on those shoots matches with the leaves on the tree please?  I ask as sometimes 'weed' species tree saplings like Ash can pop-up right next to an existing tree.
    If the suckers are definitely growing from the trunk of the tree, then you'll need to cut them off using a pruning saw or similar, flush with the trunk.  Some trees are prone to this and once you have removed these, you'll need to keep an eye on the area and remove any more new shoots whenever they are noticed.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Lucky68Lucky68 Posts: 10
    thank you so much BobTheGardener
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