FabSwingers.com forum: Layers and suckers

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

A layer is where a stem comes into contact with the ground and puts down roots, either along it's length (eg ivy, honeysuckle, jasmine) or at the tip (eg brambles). Using this method plants can spread considerable distances.

A sucker is a new shoot arising from roots growing close to the soil surface. Suckers of roses and many trees are often completely different to the parent as such varieties tend to be grafted onto wild rootstocks and this often occurs as a result of hard pruning or stress to the scion. Plants that freely produce suckers tend to grow as thickets.

Just thought you might like to know.

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

Thanks. I just pulled some brambles up that had layered themselves and I have twice as many strawberry plants this year due to layering. I'm grateful and resentful towards layering at the same time.

Suckers...that's a completely different story

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By *olgateMan
over a year ago

on the road to nowhere in particular

The sucker is the parent, the tea rose grafted on is more of a parasite

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"The sucker is the parent, the tea rose grafted on is more of a parasite "

Allow me to correct you. The rootstock is the parent and calling the scion a parasite suggests that it exists to the detriment of the rootstock it's grafted onto which is not the case.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Thanks. I just pulled some brambles up that had layered themselves and I have twice as many strawberry plants this year due to layering. I'm grateful and resentful towards layering at the same time.

Suckers...that's a completely different story

Strawberries spread by stolons which are evolved specifically for that purpose which means they're not technically layers though i can see why the two may be confused.

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

"Thanks. I just pulled some brambles up that had layered themselves and I have twice as many strawberry plants this year due to layering. I'm grateful and resentful towards layering at the same time.

Suckers...that's a completely different story

Strawberries spread by stolons which are evolved specifically for that purpose which means they're not technically layers though i can see why the two may be confused. "

Well! I didn't know that. Interesting though.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I was told it was best to tear the suckers in a downward direction to remove, rather than prune. To lessen rather encourage more suckers ?

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Thanks. I just pulled some brambles up that had layered themselves and I have twice as many strawberry plants this year due to layering. I'm grateful and resentful towards layering at the same time.

Suckers...that's a completely different story

Strawberries spread by stolons which are evolved specifically for that purpose which means they're not technically layers though i can see why the two may be confused.

Well! I didn't know that. Interesting though."

Haha, that depends on how you define interesting.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"I was told it was best to tear the suckers in a downward direction to remove, rather than prune. To lessen rather encourage more suckers ?"

True, cutting off at ground level is not recomended as this can increase suckering. If they are young enough they generally can be pulled from the root otherwise it is necessary to dig down to the source and cut it off from there.

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

"Thanks. I just pulled some brambles up that had layered themselves and I have twice as many strawberry plants this year due to layering. I'm grateful and resentful towards layering at the same time.

Suckers...that's a completely different story

Strawberries spread by stolons which are evolved specifically for that purpose which means they're not technically layers though i can see why the two may be confused.

Well! I didn't know that. Interesting though.

Haha, that depends on how you define interesting.

. Context is all. As dinner party conversation maybe not but in a generally informative way maybe more so.

I've already mistakenly referred to it as a stoma so it's not looking good for me in any context.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Thanks. I just pulled some brambles up that had layered themselves and I have twice as many strawberry plants this year due to layering. I'm grateful and resentful towards layering at the same time.

Suckers...that's a completely different story

Strawberries spread by stolons which are evolved specifically for that purpose which means they're not technically layers though i can see why the two may be confused.

Well! I didn't know that. Interesting though.

Haha, that depends on how you define interesting.

. Context is all. As dinner party conversation maybe not but in a generally informative way maybe more so.

I've already mistakenly referred to it as a stoma so it's not looking good for me in any context."

Stoma = a pore in a plant's leaf which allows gas exchange.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I'd love to be a layer on here, but I'm more of a sucker (not of cock!).

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By *entileschiWoman
over a year ago

Norwich

How do I get rid of all the wild strawberries that are taking over my flower bed?

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By *arpePinguisWoman
over a year ago

Norwich

"How do I get rid of all the wild strawberries that are taking over my flower bed?"

Don't, just eat them

or dig them up and pot them or move them somewhere more suitable. I'm a big fan of potager or Alys Fowler-style gardening, love the mix of pretty and practical

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"How do I get rid of all the wild strawberries that are taking over my flower bed?"

Avoiding chemicals i can only suggest perseverance. This is my favoured method and applies to all fibrous rooted s.

You need to attack the problem in 3 stages.

First: i'm afraid you're going to have to get on your hands and knees and out as many as you can.

Second: invest in a good quality rake and Dutch hoe. You can use the hoe to undercut the remaining plants and the rake to level the surface over.

Third: try to maintain a fine tilth to the soil surface, that way you can use the rake to - plants hate continuous soil disturbance. If you have more tenacious s simply flip the rake over and draw it towards you using the flat edge to pull them up then flip the rake back over and level off.

This method works best when it's dry and sunny.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"How do I get rid of all the wild strawberries that are taking over my flower bed?

Avoiding chemicals i can only suggest perseverance. This is my favoured method and applies to all fibrous rooted s.

You need to attack the problem in 3 stages.

First: i'm afraid you're going to have to get on your hands and knees and out as many as you can.

Second: invest in a good quality rake and Dutch hoe. You can use the hoe to undercut the remaining plants and the rake to level the surface over.

This method works best when it's dry and sunny.

Why can't i write ?

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"How do I get rid of all the wild strawberries that are taking over my flower bed?

Avoiding chemicals i can only suggest perseverance. This is my favoured method and applies to all fibrous rooted s.

You need to attack the problem in 3 stages.

First: i'm afraid you're going to have to get on your hands and knees and out as many as you can.

Second: invest in a good quality rake and Dutch hoe. You can use the hoe to undercut the remaining plants and the rake to level the surface over.

This method works best when it's dry and sunny.

Why can't i write ?

Ok, why can't i write deew the right way around?

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

"How do I get rid of all the wild strawberries that are taking over my flower bed?

Avoiding chemicals i can only suggest perseverance. This is my favoured method and applies to all fibrous rooted s.

You need to attack the problem in 3 stages.

First: i'm afraid you're going to have to get on your hands and knees and out as many as you can.

Second: invest in a good quality rake and Dutch hoe. You can use the hoe to undercut the remaining plants and the rake to level the surface over.

This method works best when it's dry and sunny.

Why can't i write ?

Ok, why can't i write deew the right way around?"

Because of its alternative meaning?

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By *olgateMan
over a year ago

on the road to nowhere in particular

"The sucker is the parent, the tea rose grafted on is more of a parasite

Allow me to correct you. The rootstock is the parent and calling the scion a parasite suggests that it exists to the detriment of the rootstock it's grafted onto which is not the case."

Explain to me how the sucker is not from the parent? As you stated in your op

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I knew that.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"How do I get rid of all the wild strawberries that are taking over my flower bed?

Avoiding chemicals i can only suggest perseverance. This is my favoured method and applies to all fibrous rooted s.

You need to attack the problem in 3 stages.

First: i'm afraid you're going to have to get on your hands and knees and out as many as you can.

Second: invest in a good quality rake and Dutch hoe. You can use the hoe to undercut the remaining plants and the rake to level the surface over.

This method works best when it's dry and sunny.

Why can't i write ?

Ok, why can't i write deew the right way around?

Because of its alternative meaning?"

Not very helpful when trying to offer horticultural advice.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"The sucker is the parent, the tea rose grafted on is more of a parasite

Allow me to correct you. The rootstock is the parent and calling the scion a parasite suggests that it exists to the detriment of the rootstock it's grafted onto which is not the case.

Explain to me how the sucker is not from the parent? As you stated in your op"

For the sake of simplicity the parent plant is the one you get from the garden centre and stick in the ground.

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By *olgateMan
over a year ago

on the road to nowhere in particular

"The sucker is the parent, the tea rose grafted on is more of a parasite

Allow me to correct you. The rootstock is the parent and calling the scion a parasite suggests that it exists to the detriment of the rootstock it's grafted onto which is not the case.

Explain to me how the sucker is not from the parent? As you stated in your op

For the sake of simplicity the parent plant is the one you get from the garden centre and stick in the ground.

"
that’s where the sucker comes from

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By *ophieslutTV/TS
over a year ago

Central

"The sucker is the parent, the tea rose grafted on is more of a parasite

Allow me to correct you. The rootstock is the parent and calling the scion a parasite suggests that it exists to the detriment of the rootstock it's grafted onto which is not the case.

Explain to me how the sucker is not from the parent? As you stated in your op"

Both parts of the plant you buy remain alive and the part grafted on may be much older than the rootstock - it's come from a long line of vegetatively propagated clones of the original hybrid variety you buy. As the root and grafted-on top plant co-exist, they are more like distant cousins , if you need a family type relationship.

You can take your own rose cuttings and root them, though they will typically grow more vigorously when grafted on vigorous rootstock. The variety purchased will have likely been bred for other qualities than great root vigour, so Its parents gave it colour, fragrance, form etc.

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