Question
I have a maple tree that has suckers (little off shoots with leaves all over the trunk) and it looks like it is killing the tree.  What could it be and should I do anything to help it or get rid of them.

Answer
Hardwood tree will grow suckers from the trunk when the trunk has sunlight on it. These do really no harm except spread the growth of the leaves over many more leaf surface and make the tree look more like a bush than a tree. these can be pruned of at the trunk without harming the tree but they will more than likely have to be done several time during the year until the tree grows larger. As the tree gets older the bark will get thicker and the suckers will not be a problem. There is not anything that can be sprayed on them that will not harm the tree as well as get rid of the sprouts.