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Persistent Persimmon

ImperfectGardener's picture

Persistent Persimmon (post #19226)

ImperfectGardener on Sun, 07/31/2011 - 15:34 (updated 07/31/11 - 07:44) 
in

3 years ago we had a tree cut down, a persimmon that wasn't bearing fruit because its mate had died. 

Every summer, we have had sprouts coming up all over the garden.  I try to dig them up, but to get to the entire root system I would have to dig up half the yard, including under a boulder.  There is a small stump left from the original tree, and I tried drilling holes in that to hasten decay but the wood is too hard.  Would having the stump ground out help?  Has anyone ever run into this problem?

-A +A
KimmI's picture

Persimmon (post #19226, reply #1 of 2)

by KimmI in reply to ImperfectGardener [original] on Wed, 08/03/2011 - 08:53

Persimmons, from what I understand, will send up suckers from the roots and is the most common method of propagation. Keep those suckers cut down and eventually the roots will run out of energy and cease doing that. Anytime the roots send up suckers they will supply the roots with more energy so keeping them cut will, eventually, cause the roots to die.

The sign of a good gardener is brown knees, not a green thumb.

ImperfectGardener's picture

Persistent Persimmon (post #19226, reply #2 of 2)

by ImperfectGardener in reply to KimmI [original] on Wed, 08/10/2011 - 05:48

Thanks for the reinforcement.  I have, of course, been doing just that.  I'm just discouraged that the shoots keep coming up!