Growth from rootstock?

10 years ago

On my Abies concolor 'Blue Cloak' there is some very vigorous growth coming from below the graft point on the tree. (The darker green growth, right next to the stake). If you trace the branch, you can see its coming from way down, below the graft callus). know I have seen that sometimes this is allowed to help the overall tree develop.

Can someone confirm that is what this growth is, which is probably 4x as long as the growth above the graft? Also, at what point do I remove it?

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Comments (3)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
right now ... dont waste a minute ...

at a min ... get rid of all the green needles ... if you cant get in there and snip it off without damaging the graft .. just leave a dead stick ... later in the season.. when it all hardens off.. you can probably do it a bit more surgically ...

there is always later for that part ...

but if you can get it all out in one shot.. go for it

ken
sc77 (6b MA)
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks Ken! I'll get it removed today.

-Shawn
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Garen Rees
10 years ago
You only want to keep growth from the understock to aid young tiny grafts when they don't have enough foliage of their own to support the tree. Once there is enough growth from the grafted plant, like yours, all root stock growth should be pruned off.

I can be a bit fastidious. When walking around garden centers I find myself pruning suckers and growth coming out of the rootstock on all plants I see. I even did it to a maple after someone had just purchased it. lol I can't help myself. =)