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plum tree-are they suckers that are growing
pieris
Posts: 18
in Fruit & veg
A bit of advice needed please! My plum tree was a bare rooted one, there are 2 extra shoots growing from under the ground, they are very strong growing and leaves and stem look bit different from main ones, are they suckers? If so do I cut them off from below or above the ground? Not been any blossom on tree yet and are Victoria plum trees more prone to suckers? Thanks.
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Posts
They'll be suckers from the sounds of it.
I would carefully scrape soil away from the base with your hands, then get hold of the sucker and pull the sucker sharply away from where it joins the tree, so you take out all the sucker and the point where it's growing from. That way it shouldn't grow again.
If the sucker is too well grown to pull it off then you can cut it away at the base of the sucker with your secateurs.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Yes, they are suckers and you need to remove them. Try to find where they originate from on the root system and remove as close to the point of origin as possible. Any piece left will begin to regrow.
Any tree which is grafted has the potential to produce suckers, especially if the roots have been damaged in any way. Sad fact of gardening life really.
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks for your quick replies, i'll put my gardening clothes on soon and get down on hands and knees, never had to deal with suckers before, thought they may be, I have heard about them, mainly to do with roses. Ta.
Not seen that smiley face before- a high five I presume?! Nice one.