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Spraying tree suckers?
Blue Onion
Posts: 2,995
I have two healthy Shubert Chokecherries growing in our yard.. but they sucker like crazy around the trunk. Each year I cut them back about every other week, as close to the trunk/roots as I can.. but each year more and more. Can I spray them with something? Cutting them back is a loosing battle, and I have far too much else in the garden to do.
Utah, USA.
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That's sort of what I figured. If I really dug down and removed the suckers right at the base, would a few feet of thick water permeable membrane and thick mulch help reduce the small forest currently growing down there? The tree is about 20 feet high, and the membrane would be within the drip line.
It is thought that pulling suckers away from the root rather than cutting them off lessens the likelihood of more suckers appearing. This is standard practice for removing rose suckers.
I don't think it's grafted. I've done a bit of research, and think it's just a quality of that type of tree.
If I'm tearing them off, should I treat the wound with something (as it's more messy than a cut)? Something to keep out infection?
Prunus are pretty bomb-proof as far as trees go so I wouldn't bother treating the roots with anything.
Thanks for all the advice.. looks like I've got a project ahead, but at least it will be less frequent.