Prune or leave alone

21 years ago

I bought a tangerine tree with fruit in a five-gallon container tonight at Lowe's on clearance for $6.99. The main trunk is about 4 feet tall with a bushy top. There is another limb that is growing from a point about 2 inches from the base of the tree. I guess you would call this a "sucker". Should I remove this now? In the spring? Or leave it alone. Also, if I need to remove it exactly how do I go about this?

Marty

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Comments (5)

Millet
21 years ago
Remove it. Just cut it off.- Millet
marty
Original Author
21 years ago
Millet,
Thanks for responding. I will cut it off. Can this rather large (2 feet?) cutting be rooted?
Marty
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Millet
21 years ago
Marty yes, that is exactly what I do with most all "suckers". Or I have "Citrus Joe" (JML) root them just to be sure. When you root a cutting you get either a free fruit tree, or a free root stock. Does the sucker have a trifoliate leaf? - Millet
marty
Original Author
21 years ago
No, the foliage is just like that on the main trunk. Does this mean I will get another tangerine? I also took a couple of other stray growths off while I was pruning. They are about 4 or 5 inches long. Is this a good length to root?
Marty
Millet
21 years ago
If the cutting that was 2" inches from the base of the tree was BELOW the graft, then it is from the rootstock. It will produce a tree that will be identical to the rootstock. If your tree still has the growers tag on it, you can call the nursery and ask what variety the root stock is. The other cuttings that you cut (I assume they were cut from ABOVE the graft) they will be the same as your tree (a tangerine). - Millet