Weed mats for dogwood/chokecherry

4wanderingeyes

5 year old buck +
I ordered a bunch of dogwood and chokecherry’s for this spring, I want them to spread. I know chokecherry suckers, and dogwood spreads from rhizomes, so I assume if I used a weed mat for them, it would prevent self spreading from suckering, and rhizomes?
 
Most typical weed mats will rot within 5 years. Your plants probably won't attempt suckering all that much within that time frame. So, I think a weed mat is good for your application, because it (1) reduces competition for the first few years while the plant is establishing, and (2) then rots away allowing the plants to sucker and spread after becoming established.
 
I’d agree, a weed mat is critical to allow the shrub to establish as quickly as possible, you’ll get a ton more growth, and when the mat is breaking down, you notice the suckering. My experience with dogwoods is that it starts around year 4. But you do need to give them a head start until they can get above the grasses.


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I’ve been using the Dewitt TS33X for my trees but maybe the TS33S would be better for your application if it’s to be removed after a couple years.
 
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