suckering lilac tree
karen paul
Posts: 230
hello, could anyone advise me on my lilac tree please, it seems to have a terrible suckering problem. It is only about 4.5 feet in height but wherever its roots are running it is sending up new trees. I love this tree but I don't want it to spread as I have other shrubs and alpine strawberries all around it. Other prole sorry, people (phone wont let me delete wrong text) have lilacs that dont seem to have this problem so is there a reason for mine doing this? I.e planted too shallow, etc? Do o I have to put up with it or is there something I can do? I kr. Keep pulling up the suckers but it ser. Seems to be making it worse. Sorry again about the text mistakes, its only on this website that its disallowing deletion of mistakes and I'm on a touchscreen phone!
Posts
It's hard to stop them once they start. Not likely to be too shallow planting but digging round and damaging the roots might stimulate that growth.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Hard pruning can also trigger them into 'suckering mode' as can raising the soil level above the roots. As nut says, nothing can be done once they start.
Thankyou very much for your replies. That is exactly what I've done, both dug around the t roots to remove mint and hard pruned it! I am considering digging it up and planting ot it in a huge container and digging out any remaining roots in that case. I have so many other things in the garden that need to be done I am not relishing adding this one to the list but sooner than later o is probably best before it gets worse. Thanks again.
If it is not too big you could dig it up (in the winter) and replant it in the lawn, if you have one. The mower will deal with most of the suckers. I don't think a lilac will do well in a pot.