Hydra Plum Suckers

General Fruit Growing
#1

I don’t know what variety this plum tree is, I call it the Hydra because whenever I cut one sucker, two more replace it. It’s a beautiful tree and the plums are delicious, plus I’ve grafted several other varieties of plums and apricots to it over the years so I really want to keep it. But I’m so tired of dealing with these pesky root suckers! This tree even has it’s own dedicated pruner just for cutting the suckers.
I have to cut them down several times each season and within a couple of months, they are thicker and taller than when I cut them.
I mulched them heavily with wood chips hoping that blocking sunlight to the surface would help, but that only seems to have encouraged it and made it even more difficult to prune them since the wood chips get in the way.
I’m thinking about pulling back the chip mulch, chopping the suckers down low then laying some woven poly fabric or 6 mil black plastic, or both. I would put a drip ring underneath the plastic for the infrequent irrigation it needs. I would also want to mulch over top of the plastic with wood chips or bark for aesthetics since it is in front of my house.
I’m afraid plastic film might prevent air movement and the mulch on top of woven poly would eventually allow weeds to grow into the fabric.
I read through the post regarding plastic mulch and it looks like some of you have had success using woven poly to controlling weeds, but would it stop aggressive suckers? Any experience with putting mulch on top of the woven fabric?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

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Dense Planting with Burgundy Plum +?
#2

That’s a lot of suckers! I would call it a Gremlin Plum. I don’t know if you have ever seen the 80’s movie “Gremlin”. It was about some little furry monster type creatures that you weren’t supposed to get wet. When they got wet they multiplied. :smile:

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#3

Haha, I do remember that movie. I wish these gremlin suckers would just turn to mulch when exposed to sunlight. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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#4

That’s the rootstock suckering, not the scion. Cut them down to the grown and start mowing. Not only is this tree going to continue suckering, but all the ones you grafted will do the same as well as soon as they are old enough.

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#5

All of the grafts are on the same single tree (I’m not grafting to the suckers). I cut all of the suckers to the ground several times each the year and they rapidly grow back with vengeance. I’m just looking for a way to suppress or block the suckers as its an eyesore and a hassle to have to deal with them so frequently.
Thanks

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#6

I think you just about have to root prune them and dig them up. That has worked “some” for me. They sure are the gift that keeps on giving, aren’t they?

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