Prunus shooting - advice please

[Jan]

I need some advice re a dilemma I have with a collected prunus (heritage plum) stump (15cm wide x 15 cm high). I dug it a while back and have been waiting for it to shoot.

Other smaller stumps collected at the same time shot a while ago, and while this one started pushing out sap from the cut top there wasn’t a sign of a shoot. I am delighted to report that it has at last shot BUT not from the trunk. It appears to be shooting suckers up from the roots (they have only just broken through the sphagnum mulch) in two separate locations. I don’t want to loose this trunk; it has some great old textured bark, beaut flare at the base and is living history being one of the early plantings (late 1800’s) on the property. While I did collect others, with other styles in mind, this old trunk epitomises “Old Orchard”, capturing that living history feel.

2010-10-29_Prunus suckers.jpg

My dilemma is do I:-
(a) remove all but one sucker at both locations so that the plant produces some leaves to nourish itself while it establishes new roots and possibly shoots from the trunk, eventually?
(b) remove all suckers to force it to shoot on the trunk (other trunk chops have shot on the trunk) and risk the stump giving up altogether?
(c) leave it alone until next season and hope that the sucker growth will support the plant, and that it will shoot from the trunk later this season or next season?

I’d really appreciate your advice on this one,

Jan.

[astroboy76]

it can take a while. i trunk chopped a crabapple and all but gave up on it budding when ti shot out two buds almost over night lol

i dont knwo for sure so i am just guestimating here but i woudl be inclined to remove the suckers as the tree may be end up putting all of its energy into the suckers and not into new budding on the trunk. the tree is obviously still alive so maybe just be patient a little longer?

[rowan]

I dig a lot od prunus stumps and this is a big problem with older ones. I take the view that a tree will put all its energy into the first shoots it makes and if they are suckers, the trunk will not get energy and will die. I always pinch out the suckers now to stop this.
These are tough and you have a good chance of saving the trunk if you remove the suckers as you find them. You may still lose the trunk but you usually will if you leave the suckers. Be patient, sometimes they will start to put out shoots after you give up on them.

[AGarcia]

What about sealing the top wound to reduce the die back that would result from it drying off at the cut point?

[rowan]

Sealing the the top doesn't seem to make a difference to dying back. I like to see constant light bleeding as it shows that the circulatory system and roots are working. I know a lot of people disagree but that is my way.
I dug a 30 year old trunk two months ago and I have been taking the suckers out since then - this variety (not sure of the name) suckers badly. The trunk has just now started pushing out a couple of shoots close to the bottom. I am hoping for a few higher up soon. I will take a few pics tomorrow and later for a progression series if you like.

[Jan]

Thanks for the advice; the suckers will be gone this afternoon, then I'll cross my fingers and wait for the trunk proper to shoot.

The wound did push out sap as the weather warmed up, this has now self sealed as the sticky sap eventually hardened on contact with the air. Presuming that the stump shoots, I have it in mind to hollow out the trunk to a thickish shell (with a drain hole, naturally) and burn the hollowed area to add to the aged feel. The top edge will be carved to a more natural ragged finish.

I collected three others at the same time; all have shot. The 45 degree angled trunk (chopped to grow as a shohin) had a great root system and has burst out everywhere and is being regularly tip pruned. The second, a smaller stump (also for shohin) was hollowed out when collected and has shot towards the top of the trunk and going well. The last one had a trunk with angle changes like the semi cascade blossom trees in chinese scrolls; I was delighted to see it shoot out towards the end and look forward to training it to resemble a scroll painting.

Thanks again for your help, people, and I look forward to seeing the 30 year old stump progression series, Rowan,

Jan