water sprouts/suckers

okietreedude1 · Apr 14, 2005

I was at the local chemical shop today and saw a bottle of product called 'sucker stop'. Its made by the same group that makes florel. Im wondering if anyone here has heard of this and used it. If youve used it, does it really work? and how well.

Here we have a lot of silver maples w/ water sprouts. If this stuff really works, Im going to buy some for my own tree.

Thanks,

Tom Dunlap · Apr 15, 2005

A long time ago I had a client who had crabapples that were planted too deep. This started the ugly cycle of trunk and root sprouts. Before I started the maintenance the sprouts had been snipped for years. That lead to the hydra effect...big time! I used my pressure washer to blast the soil away. then I went in and made the best cuts possible. Followed that up with Sucker Stopper. As a result there were almost no sprouts the following years.

After I used up the cans I had they took it off the market. When I got hold of the manufacturer they said that they were getting inconsistent responses in the field. Not what I found.

I'd say buy it up!

ROLLACOSTA · May 2, 2005

Sorry to go off topic,but Tom you mention crabapple's being planted to deep ,i alway's thought a tree planted to deep never made it to maturity and it simply died due to the stem roting and killing the vascular system i take it thisis not alway's the case ??

Tom Dunlap · May 2, 2005

The trees were doing fine. No sign of trunk decay or rot. If I remember right, now that I think about the job, we might have backfilled the basins around the trees with gravel to keep the soil away from the trunk.