John from Niceville, Fl writes
It is quite hard to treat sucker trees with out harming the root system of the tree they are attached. The idea is that if you apply a herbicide to the sucker, it will tranfer to the tree root causing harm. Hear are few steps you can take to help discourage suckers:
1.Grasp one of the suckers down low, near the ground. pull hard, with a twisting motion, pulling up and away from the base at the same time.
2.Clip individual suckers off at or below ground level with pruning shears if you can’t remove the suckers by pulling.
3.Mow areas with large numbers of suckers, cutting them off as close to the ground as possible.
4.Dig down to the roots in any spots that seem to have a large concentration of suckers popping up, if you can get to them.Check the roots to see if most of the suckers come from a single section. If so, cut that part of the root off of the tree, pull it up and get rid of it.
5. Cover any shallow roots with a layer of mulch about 2 inches thick, enough to discourage the suckers without doing any harm to your tree. If the mulch settles or washes away over time, replace it with a new layer.
You can also contact your Local Cooperative Extension Office and speak with the Master Gardener in your area.
Answer last updated on: 10/25/2013
