As of: February 1, 2024, 10:00 a.m
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Are root runners messing up your garden planning?
We'll show you why they appear more often and how you can efficiently combat the wild sprouts.
Nature always surprises us with fascinating tricks when it comes to the reproduction of our own species.
Woody plants such as lilacs, willows, roses and sea buckthorn do not only rely on reproduction via flowers and seeds.
They sometimes also form long root runners that extend several meters away from the main trunk - and at the end of which small shoots shoot out of the ground.
The sprouts then put down roots themselves and over time grow into their own plants.
If the mother plant dies, it has previously created a copy of itself as security.
Prevent root runners on lilacs, roses, sea buckthorn and the like
Blooming lilacs are beautiful, but the tree is notorious for its root runners.
© Cavan Images / IMAGO
The following plants and trees are known for their root runners:
lilac
pasture
unrooted roses
Sea buckthorn
Plum
poplar
Vinegar tree
sloe
Root runners are a clever trick for plants to reproduce themselves in difficult times.
But they are often a big nuisance for garden enthusiasts.
If you want to prevent a plant or tree from developing root suckers, you should avoid any stress on the plant.
The weaker and more threatened a plant feels, the more likely it is to create backup copies of itself.
So create the best possible living conditions: a tree that grows undisturbed in good soil and receives enough nutrients and light does not waste any energy on root runners.
Be sure to avoid the following things:
Cut down a tree but leave the roots in the ground.
Prune trees or plants too much.
Damage the roots with a hoe or lawnmower.
Planting trees too closely between other plants.
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Wild Sprouts: This is how you make things worse
If you want to prevent wild sprouts and suckers from growing in your garden, you need to get to the literal root of the problem.
If you just keep chopping off or cutting off the shoots on the surface, the root will continue to live with the underground shoot buds.
And pruning actually encourages it to form more runners.
For every sprout that is chopped off, two or three new ones will soon spring up.
You can find even more exciting garden topics in the regular newsletter from our partner 24garten.de.
Sustainably remove runners from lilacs, willows, etc
In order to take long-term action against sprouts, you must consistently remove all root runners.
This means you have to dig up each runner, trace it back to the tree and cut it off directly at the root collar.
Here you can also work well with a spade (promotional): Simply cut off all the offshoots of the plant around the root stalk with the spade.
Prevent root runners with a root barrier
If you want to prevent the plant from forming roots again, you can place a root barrier in the soil.
However, a simple pond liner is far from enough here.
This is easily pierced by the strong root tips.
Instead, it is better to use a special root barrier for bamboo.
If possible, place the barrier more than one meter deep in the ground so that the plant does not simply go under the barrier later.