Suckers

17 years ago

I've been told this thing is a Hackberry by a nurseryman but it doesn't look like one to me. Not only does it have nipple gall but it is sending up suckers everywhere and they turn into bushes. I tried to cut them today at ground level but there are literally thousands. Some of the 'bushes' are five feet high and wide. The roots seem to be so shallow that when I pull up a smaller sucker (like an inch because they are so hard to 'pull') I can follow the root back to the bigger root which is just at soil surface. I WANT TO KILL THIS TREE because DH won't get it cut down. It's about 25 years old. I think I'm going to use Vinex - which is systemic so eventually the tree will die....but is there another way? I HATE SUCKERS.

Westy

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Comments (4)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
17 years ago
is VINEx labeled as a tree killer.. the name seems to imply its for vines..

go figure on that ...

did you intend to post a pic ...???

ken
brandon7 TN_zone7
17 years ago
Ken....Vinex is triclopyr ester....a systemic herbicide for brushy plants and vines....did you google it?
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Carole Westgaard
Original Author
17 years ago
I think I will post a pic as soon as he gets back with the digital camera from his GOLF trip - later this week. It's unbelievable what these dang things do. I'm sure vinex will eventually kill the tree because I wrote to the company after I bought it a couple of years ago and that was the answer they gave me. But as I said, that's fine with me. I just need to get rid of the suckers that are growing into everything - we'll likely move before the tree dies anyway.

Vinex worked great on the Hedera Helix - I just have to keep on top of it - pull up a vine, cut to an inch above ground, paint on the vinex - gone. Except for the other million that are underground and will come up forever. Stupidest thing I ever planted. Except for the Sweet Autumn clematis which grew under the house and came out the other side. Still working on that one with vinex!

It's taking me a lifetime to wise up.

Westy
brandon7 TN_zone7
17 years ago
Westy,

I don't have any experience with Vinex, but I think, if properly applied, it should kill the tree/shrub quickly. The trick is to cut all growth close to ground level and treat the exposed cambium at the fresh cuts immediately. A single treatment may well eliminate your problem completely. If two consecutive treatments don't work, switch to another product. Glyphosate would be another option and might be cheaper. There are very few plants that would survive two consecutive treatments of glyphosate as described above.