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I bought a new tree this summer. Lately I've been seeing this little sprouts coming out of the very base of the tree. Should I chop them off or leave them? What will happen to them over time?
Also, the guys who installed the tree used this stick with ties on it. When should I remove the supporting stick?
Do not cut the suckers or you will just get more of them. Instead hold it at the base and pull down and get the whole thing. If the suckers are coming from under the ground dig around it and then pull the sucker out. Buy cutting them you leave a node for others to grow. The suckers weaken the tree. It's possible to root the suckers and start a new tree. As for the stake you should not leave it there more than 6 months. Like children, if you do the work for them they don't learn to do it for themselves. Staked trees will not put down deep roots. Shake a young tree gently from time to time. The simulation of wind will tell the tree it needs to put down deeper roots. If you have a deep root watering stick use it to water below the root ball. The roots will have to go down to reach the water. If you don't have one make sure you water deeply and then let the top dry out before you water again. The roots will go where the water is. The first few years will make the difference between a well rooted healthy tree and an unhealthy one. After 3 years it's to late to train it.
Whether the tree is grafted or not, I'd remove the suckers. On a grafted tree, they will drain the energy from the scion and form a multi trunked rootstock tree. If not grafted, the suckers will form new trunks, and the tree will lose it's 'natural' single-stemmed appearance.
If the suckers are emerging from the trunk above the soil line, cut them off as close as possible. If they are emerging from the ground, dig under and try to find the bases. Cut them off as low as you can without damaging the root system.
As for the stake on your tree, I'd remove that. It looks like the ties are getting tight, and that stick isn't really capable of helping the tree anyway. Refer to this answer for info on how to stake your tree.
The answer really depends upon the type of tree. Some trees sucker on the bottom, and it's not a problem. Some are grafted, and if they sucker on the bottom, it's likely the root stock suckering (this should be trimmed off).
It also depends on your location. In really hot areas, suckering can be the plant's way to shade itself from the heat. Eliminating the shade could cause the stem to burn.
As for the stake, to properly plant a sapling, if the plant is too flimsy to support itself, you should have three stakes forming a triangle. This allows the plant to move within a narrow area. Movement is required for the plant to build up good strength. If you leave it staked like that, there is no flexing, and the plant is weaker than if it is allowed to bend.
Just make sure the amount of motion allowed does not cause the roots to move around, or they won't get established. Speaking of the roots, you should always spread out the roots and inspect for girdling roots when planting a tree from a pot. Circling roots is very common in potted trees, and if not corrected, your tree is very likely to have stunted growth or even die from strangling itself.
