Collected apple question

aml1014

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I have another thread on this tree but really need some help. I collected this apple in late february, it's done nothing as far as you could tell unail around a week ago. The trunk is still nice, healthy, and green when scratched but it still has not budded. There is new root growth all around the tree when you scrape the soil gently away.

Now my question, it started growing g root suckers about 3 days ago, should I leave them or remove them to give more energy to the main trunk?

Here's the pictures.

Whole tree20160416_072521.jpg
New roots20160420_090712.jpg
And the suckers20160420_090731.jpg

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Aaron
 

M. Frary

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Root suckered appear when the tree is in distress. Usually as an effort to stay alive. I'm not sure if removing them will help or hurt.
 

aml1014

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Root suckered appear when the tree is in distress. Usually as an effort to stay alive. I'm not sure if removing them will help or hurt.
That's my struggle, it appears there may be swelling on the trunk under the bark in some places so I think it's trying to budd. I just really don't want to lose this tree, it reminds me greatly of my childhood.

Aaron
 

aml1014

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Bump.


I'm really starting to worry, there's more suckers popping up today.
Any other help would be greally appreciated.

Aaron
 

justBonsai

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As mentioned the tree is probably stressed. It probably is using the energy it currently has to find the quickest and most effective way to translate it into functional growth. That said if you let these suckers grow, the tree will probably live but you'd get a lot of dieback on the main trunk as the tree starts to prioritize the suckers. You could remove the suckers now and hope energy is directed towards the main trunk--better now than letting the suckers mature and removing them after.

What do you value about the tree the most? The large trunk? Or perhaps more so as a memento of your childhood? If its the latter maybe just let the suckers grow and see how the main trunk fares. If there is some swelling in the main trunk maybe they'll bud out. Perhaps this could become some interesting group planting many years down the line. Your pictures do show decent root growth though so I think whichever route you take the tree should be fine.
 

GrimLore

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Anybody else have some ideas?

Anything you do at this point is a crap shoot, serious. Let it be, water, no fertilizer and give it some more time. I have done chops and pulls in early Spring that did not bud for three months and it is not uncommon.

Grimmy
 

Waltron

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yea id say keep waiting and watering, its still pretty early.

have you tried the scrach test up high to see if its still green up there? ill bet it is.
 

coh

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I'd be inclined to remove them, if they establish I think the tree might just abandon the trunk completely (the suckers after all are directly attached to the roots)...if it hasn't already.

Does the piece have any value if the entire trunk is dead and you only get new growth from the roots? If not, seems there is little to lose by removing them.

Couple of years ago I lost 2 trees due to neglect during winter (root systems dried out completely). The cambium stayed green on both for a couple of months but they never budded out.

Good luck!

Chris
 

aml1014

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yea id say keep waiting and watering, its still pretty early.

have you tried the scrach test up high to see if its still green up there? ill bet it is.
It's nice and lime green I checked about a week ago.

I guess for now I'll leave the tree be and water as I have been. I hope the main trunk pulls through and even if it doesn't I have some ideas.

Aaron
 

Cypress187

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I have the same problem, I cut some to force buds on the trunk, but I think I made it worse. It's a birch for my friend soo it's no problem, mine looks like a baws, so that's good ;)
 

aml1014

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So it's almost been a week now and I have atleast 8 or 9 suckers coming up with bo budding in the trunk but the cambium is still green.

Ugh this tree is stressing me out.
Any other ideas for this tree are very appreciated,for now I'll let the suckers grow and hope the trunk stays alive so I can graft as sorce had recommended.

Aaron
 

GrimLore

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Leave it be... I "think" what you are calling suckers are actually branch growing from the base of the tree although buried. I have had more then a few and suckers - I have no notes of that happening... Get a few new plants, work them and give this one time, really. It is hard to wait it out but after a few more times you will take that type of approach.

Grimmy
 

aml1014

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Leave it be... I "think" what you are calling suckers are actually branch growing from the base of the tree although buried. I have had more then a few and suckers - I have no notes of that happening... Get a few new plants, work them and give this one time, really. It is hard to wait it out but after a few more times you will take that type of approach.

Grimmy
A couple are close to the base, but several are 10 inches or so away.

Aaron
 

GrimLore

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A couple are close to the base, but several are 10 inches or so away.

Aaron

I just find that odd as it has never happened here. Honest it could be other plants, I really do not know, just do know I have had many and had an orchard at one time for a few years, just never saw it happen.
Back to your plant - leave it be and watered it can take weeks for it to throw new buds, from what you describe I am thinking it will be ok.

Grimmy
 

aml1014

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I just find that odd as it has never happened here. Honest it could be other plants, I really do not know, just do know I have had many and had an orchard at one time for a few years, just never saw it happen.
Back to your plant - leave it be and watered it can take weeks for it to throw new buds, from what you describe I am thinking it will be ok.

Grimmy
I really appreciate your help as I can tell you've had fruit trees before on a good size scale. I'll keep watering it and see what happens.

Aaron
 

M. Frary

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, just never saw it happen
I have. On old ones that grew on our old property. They were big and hollow. One year they started growing suckers from the roots then died.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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The roots obviously have some life in them, and are producing suckers. You need to keep the roots alive, so at least some of the suckers are needed to feed the roots. But you really only need a couple. I would thin out the ones that are not spaced right for a "Forest style". If you are lucky, eventually the trunk will bud, but if you are not it won't. It is always a crap shoot when you collect a trunk. There is no 100% guarantee. Just let nature take its course. Give the trunk an entire summer to bud out. If it doesn't bud out by September, it probably won't. Then decide whether or not you want to work with the suckers or scrap it and look for another trunk for next year.
 
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