Q: I received a gingko tree for a gift but it has lots of suckers (small twigs) at the base. When is the best time to remove them?
A: Many trees produce suckers copiously. Crapemyrtle, crabapple, ornamental cherry and maple trees are famous for making a thicket of sprouts at their base.
Until now, the best advice was to simply prune off the twigs whenever they became objectionable. Monterey Chemical recently introduced a ready-to-use spray (Sucker-Stopper RTU) that they claim will effectively control suckers. The product is applied immediately after you remove the suckers. Monterey Chemical products are usually carried by local hardware stores, not garden centers. If you can’t find a store that carries Sucker-Stopper, call Monterey at 209-499-2100.
It’s available online locally at Cooper Seeds in Lawrenceville.
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Tags For This Article: crape myrtle, maple, ornamental
