How can I promote suckering from the bases of our dying peach trees?

Hi everyone! Just wondering if anyone has any tips on how to bring new life to our dying, cankerous peach trees. I have searched how to do this and just ended up looking through pages of how to get rid of suckers. Is there anything else that can be done besides burying the bases in soil? A couple of the peaches have suckered by themselves and did so well we cut down the old trees and now the sucker clumps are the healthiest of them all. Thanks in advance for any advice!  

Note: These trees are only about 5 years old.

Are they on rootstock, or on their own roots? If on rootstock, chances are good that no matter what you do you'll just end up with the rootstock suckering. If they're growing on their own roots you may try girdling a root in a convenient spot and see if it sends up suckers. Some plants will do this. Another option would be layering. Some plants will also grow a new plant from a piece of root, but I've never tried this with a fruit tree. Something to research, anyway.

Lauren Ritz wrote:Are they on rootstock, or on their own roots? If on rootstock, chances are good that no matter what you do you'll just end up with the rootstock suckering. If they're growing on their own roots you may try girdling a root in a convenient spot and see if it sends up suckers. Some plants will do this. Another option would be layering. Some plants will also grow a new plant from a piece of root, but I've never tried this with a fruit tree. Something to research, anyway.

I have no idea actually. They are just from walmart. Though the suckered trees are definitely peach trees. Thanks for the tips. Will definitely try these.

You could try coppicing or pollarding the tree during the winter (usually March).  

It's a bit of a risk, but a peach should be able to handle it.  

If they're from Walmart, you have a grafted tree. The tags they had on them should list the rootstock. If you want the same fruit as the existing trees you're not looking for root suckers, you'll have to propagate above the graft. If you don't care (for example, if the other "bush" trees are producing fruit you like) then root sucker to your hearts content.

I personally prefer trees grown on their own roots, but I'm part of a nearly extinct minority. Another thing you might try if the tree has a low branch, is to bend the branch down, partially girdle the branch, put on rooting hormone and cover it with dirt. By spring you may have a new tree.