When to prune the root suckers?

[Cajunrider]

The oaks and ilex that I collected have developed a lot of root suckers. On the oaks it's a no brainer. I have plenty of growth on the main trunk to collect energy for the roots so I can afford to prune the roots suckers without a thought. However, the buds and foliage development on the ilex is far slower. The root suckers are growing fast at the base. On one hand, they are collecting energy for the roots but then they also divert the water & minerals from the roots to the trunk. So what is the verdict here? Prune them all? Wait until I get decent foliage on the main trunk?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

On one hand, they are collecting energy for the roots but then they also divert the water & minerals from the roots to the trunk. So what is the verdict here? Prune them all? Wait until I get decent foliage on the main trunk?

Trim all suckers the moment they appear... unless you are trying to grow a new trunk.

 

[Cajunrider]

Trim all suckers the moment they appear... unless you are trying to grow a new trunk.

Aye aye. They will be gone this afternoon.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Aye aye. They will be gone this afternoon.

Think about it this way... a root sucker is for all intents and purposes the same thing as a root cutting that has started to grow. You could probably sever the root between the trunk of your main tree and the sucker, and the sucker would continue to grow into a new tree. All it is doing is stealing the majority of support that the root usually provides to your main trunk - almost as if the root was severed. Get several root suckers, (like on a quince) and it is not unusual for your main trunk to die completely, and your tree is now a multi-trunk clump - aka a shrub