Gardening - Q&A: Stopping Stumps from Sprouting

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Q&A: Stopping Stumps from Sprouting

National Gardening Association

Question: What is the best way to keep suckers from growing back on the stump of a maple tree? (The tree was cut down 1 1/2 years ago.)

Answer: The suckers indicate the roots of your maple are still alive, attempting to gather energy through the process of photosynthesis (where plant leaves convert sunlight into carbohydrates). As long as there's an ounce of energy left, the roots will continue to produce suckers. Cut the shoots down as soon as they appear and before they develop leaves. Eventually you'll starve the roots out; they will have expended all of their energy producing suckers. Without reciprocation from the process of photosynthesis, the roots will die out.

Content provided by the National Gardening Association