Professional Tree Care Advice on Avoiding Tree Suckers
Trees usually grow suckers (or water sprouts) out of a need for increased photosynthesis. This happens when a tree is stressed in some way. These stresses include disease, damage, and excessive pruning. For example, the practice of tree topping, in which the top section of a tree is cut off, is often accompanied later on by accelerated sucker growth. This is the tree\’s attempt to make up for the lost foliage. Trees need leaves for photosynthesis, which is their way of producing \”food\” in the form of starches. These starches provide energy for cellular activity and growth.
When an animal or your lawn mower damages a tree, it requires energy (from stored starches) to seal off the damaged area. Therefore, the tree will increase starch production through increased photosynthesis. It does this by growing suckers.
Sucker Prevention
The best way of dealing with suckers is through prevention. Because trees usually develop suckers in response to stress, proper tree care will make them less likely to sprout. This means avoiding over pruning, lawn mower damage, string trimmer damage, and protecting the tree from hungry animals.
Watch for signs of disease and insect infestation. You can do this through close up examination and by looking for areas with thinned foliage or yellow or brown leaves during a time of year when the tree should have thick green foliage.
Lack of water, nutrients and oxygen also stress trees. All three of these things are absorbed by the tree\’s roots. This won\’t happen in compacted soil. You can avoid this by keeping foot traffic under the tree to a minimum. If you see worn pathways through the grass under a tree, then you have a problem. Root health is also impacted by limited space. Make sure you plant your trees in areas with plenty of space for root growth.
During droughts, start a watering routine, and mulch and fertilize your tree when it lacks nutrients. Nutrient deficiency is a common problem because efforts at making your yard tidy, such as removing dead leaves and twigs, deprive the soil of its natural fertilizer.
Be Careful of How You Remove Suckers
When dealing with excessive sucker growth, cutting them off after they develop bark stresses the tree into growing more suckers. Instead, cut them while they\’re still soft shoots. Remove them as close as possible to the tree without damaging the trunk or branch from which they sprout. Finally, don\’t hesitate to get professional tree care when in doubt.
If you need advice or help with a problem tree, contact us. You can follow along on Facebook and Instagram, or you can contact us here if you have any questions.
