On 5/29/13 10:53 AM, Higgs Boson wrote:
I have two fruit trees about 3-4 years old. The apricot (Blenheim)
is doing fine, but the plum (Santa Rosa) keeps making suckers from
the base. I removed these and it looked like the tree was leafing
out the same as the apricot, but now more suckers from the base.

Is there a reason that only one of these keeps making suckers? Inquiring minds...

TIA

HB


In some cases, suckering indicates that the tree is stressed. Stress
could be caused by incorrect planting (too deep, too shallow), incorrect
watering (too much or too little), insect attack, etc.

Suckering can also be a characteristic of the technique used to graft
the scion onto the root stock. Finally, some trees (e.g., poplars,
crepe myrtle) just enjoy suckering.

Suckers should always be pulled away from the trunk or roots. If they
are merely cut, they will quickly grow back.

While plum and apricot are both in the genus Prunus, they are quite
different species and should not be expected to grow the same.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary