Author Topic: Poplar suckers (Read 3458 times)

PK · « **on:** July 21, 2017, 07:19:00 pm »

One of our boundaries is lined with established poplar trees. They are prolific at throwing up suckers as much as 50 or 60m away. Normally these are mown off but one of our paddocks has had some sheep grazing on it since April so hasn't been mown. Today I strimmed off maybe 100 or so 2-3 foot suckers using a blade attachment rather than a nylon line. Does anyone have any suggestions other than mowing/strimming as they pop up? (Removing the trees is not an option).

macgro7 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 21, 2017, 07:42:57 pm »

Don't sheep eat them???

PK · « **Reply #2 on:** July 21, 2017, 11:55:45 pm »

Not mine.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #3 on:** July 22, 2017, 12:03:31 am »

Are they really suckers so far from the parent tree. Are they not more likely to be self seedlings?

Steph Hen · « **Reply #4 on:** July 22, 2017, 10:32:41 am »

My thought too, surely seedlings if 60m away? In which case cutting won't kill them, just knock them down to spring up again. Mind they say the same for suckers; they should be pulled not trimmed.

PK · « **Reply #5 on:** July 22, 2017, 11:05:19 am »

When I've dug a new vegetable plot I dig out the sucker and track the root back as far as I can go, so I don't believe they are self sown. Digging new ground or digging a fence post hole invariable mean I have to have a saw with me as well as digging implements.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #6 on:** July 22, 2017, 11:43:39 am »

Heavens, you're being taken over by triffids

I can't think of anything to help as I've never come across a problem like that.

Steph Hen · « **Reply #7 on:** July 22, 2017, 06:57:03 pm »

That sounds like a real problem!

Ghdp · « **Reply #8 on:** July 24, 2017, 08:32:24 pm »

I have suckers growing 10- 15 metres or so away from main trunks. Like PK, i find they invade the field behind and veg plot in front. Just commenting so I get to see the wisdom shared about getting rid of them!

arobwk · « **Reply #9 on:** July 26, 2017, 09:53:17 pm »

I second Steph Hen's advice about pulling suckers, rather than cutting them - obviously one needs to pull them as soon as they are discovered to stand much chance of ripping them off the root manually! (I have yet to test whether it is possible to rip larger suckers from the root with the help of a tightly bound, low-tied strap and self-propelled garden machinery or a tractor.)
I started looking into this issue recently because one of my clients has a number of root-suckering trees (lime, sumach, foxglove tree). I have yet to accumulate any great knowledge on the matter, but pulling is definitely a recommended option. I can also advise, from personal experience, that cutting the offending root tree-side of the sucker can result in more suckers from the tree-side end of the severed root!