Killing tree roots in yard
How to Kill a Tree Root System in Your Yard | Home Guides
By Dean Michael Patterson Updated November 04, 2019
Tree roots can grow deep below ground and spread over a large area, searching for moisture and nutrients. Average depth is around 7 to 9 feet, however, some root systems can go much deeper and spread much wider. Problems with tree root systems develop when they force their way toward and into sewer pipes, run amok through your yard, crack into the foundation of your house, or cause havoc, pushing under and through your driveway.
Needless to say, tree root killer products have become popular and a staple for homeowners. There are natural ways to handle tree roots that you may employ; however, they often take longer to work than your standard chemical products. Keep in mind that even if you chop down a tree, the roots can continue to grow and cause damage even after the trunk is removed.
You have two choices: You can eliminate underground issues with either chemical or natural treatments. Remember to use caution and always keep them out of reach of children and pets. Fortunately, on a positive note, once you have killed the tree roots and pulled them up, they sometimes look interesting and can be used as landscape ornaments.
Tree Root Killer
Root killers come in a variety of mixes, which all work. They use things like copper sulfate and various chemicals, such as an herbicide called dichlobenil, to help clear sewer lines, drainpipes and septic tanks of tree roots. If you prefer something less toxic, you can make a natural tree root killer using baking soda, vinegar, salt and boiling water. Mix the ingredients and immediately flush into the lowest toilet in the house. This foaming root killer will fill the pipes, causing the salt to leach into the offensive roots. This process may take several applications and time before the dead roots get washed away.
Killing Tree Roots With Bleach
If bleaching a tree stump can kill it, then killing tree roots with bleach will work as well.
Simply expose the roots you want gone by cutting into them. Using a drill is also a good option; just drill holes right into the roots you wish to be rid of. With a paintbrush, paint bleach onto the roots where you have cut into them or fill the holes.
If the root doesn’t die, then repeat this process. It may take multiple applications and a fair amount of time. If you are just trying to kill one bothersome root, cut it from the main root system back a foot; then apply bleach onto the undesired root.
Killing Tree Roots With Epsom Salts
Although it takes longer than a chemical herbicide, killing tree roots with Epsom salts can effectively work by depriving them of water. Drill holes along the root 3 to 4 inches deep. Fill the holes completely with Epsom salts and pour water into them. Avoid overfilling, as the salt solution is harmful to surrounding vegetation. Repeat this process several times for a few months. Sooner or later, the salt will kill the tree roots.
Killing Tree Roots With Roundup
Roundup concentrate is effective at killing your unwanted tree roots. It will also prevent vegetation from growing. Its active ingredient is glyphosate, so take necessary safety precautions during its application. Dip a paintbrush in the Roundup mixture and paint over the exposed cut root area. Repeat as necessary. You can also drill holes into the root and pour the Roundup directly into the root. You want to saturate the exposed root area with Roundup. Clean up your tools with hot soap and water immediately after using them with the Roundup.
Tree-Killing Chemicals
The fastest, most effective way to kill trees is with the chemical herbicide, glyphosate herbicide, the major ingredient in Roundup and some other brands. Just make sure that the concentration is at least 41 percent or higher of glyphosate as the active ingredient. Another popular commercial tree killer that works every time is Picloram, the active ingredient in Tordon.
Other tree-killing chemicals that work include Hi-Yield 2,4-D, good old reliable diesel fuel and Ferti-Lome Brush Stump Killer. Use any of these tree-killing chemicals, and within a few days, your tree will have perished.
References
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: Stem Treatment Methods for Woody Plants
- Bob Vila: How To: Kill Tree Roots
- Roundup: Tree Stump Removal with Roundup® Weed and Grass Killer Products
- The Morton Arboretum: Tree root problems
Tips
- You don't have to drill all of the holes in the stump and roots, but extra holes means you can apply more herbicide to kill the root system faster than simply painting the herbicide onto a cut stump.
Writer Bio
Dean Patterson is a freelance writer and outdoor enthusiast. Graduate of San Diego State University, he travels extensively throughout the United States capturing the American Spirit in words. He has published as a journalist as well as with Amazon eBooks.
He can be found running along the California coast or in the wilds of the great Rock Mountains.
How to Kill Tree Roots (Project Guide)
Photo: istockphoto.com
Trees add great beauty to your landscape and their shade can help keep cooling costs low. But when a tree outgrows its location or is seriously damaged in a storm, it becomes a hazard that should be removed—and chopping it down is only half the battle.
A tree’s underground root system can extend up to 20 feet deep in ideal soil conditions, and spread over an even greater area. These tree roots can continue to grow even after the trunk is history and, if close to your sewer line or foundation, cause serious damage. Eliminate underground issues with either the chemical or natural treatment described here—just remember to use caution and keep both herbicide and rock salt out of reach of pets and kids. Now read on to get to the root of the problem.
The fastest, most effective way to kill roots is with chemical herbicide, as soon as the tree has been cut down.
If you can treat the tree immediately, proceed to Step 2; if not, follow Step 1.
Photo: istockphoto.com
TOOLS AND MATERIALS Available on Amazon
– Saw
– Watering can (or garden hose)
– Glyphosate herbicide (with 41 percent or higher active ingredient concentration)
– Small bucket
– Garden sprayer (or paintbrush)
This slice should create a flat surface and expose new flesh. With trees three inches or less in diameter, cut across the entire surface of the trunk. For larger trees, expose new flesh of the outer two to three inches.
2. Saturate the tree’s cambium layer—the outer ring located just under the bark—with 2 to 3 inches of water.As this outer layer is still alive and growing, the liquid will help carry the herbicide from the live tissue to the tree roots.
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3.
Mix a 50/50 solution of glyphosate herbicide to water and apply it to the exposed cambium layer.You can use a garden sprayer, hand-held sprayer, or paintbrush to do so. Be careful in your application to avoid splashing and inadvertently harming plants or grass surrounding the trunk. Tree roots should die off completely in a couple of weeks.
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+ Option 2: Rock SaltAlthough it takes longer than chemical herbicide, rock salt can effectively kill tree roots by robbing them of water.
TOOLS AND MATERIALS Available on Amazon
– Rock salt
– Water
– Drill (with 1-inch or larger drill bit)
Before you stow your power tool, bore several additional holes into any larger roots that are exposed near the ground.
Avoid overfilling, as the rock salt solution is harmful to surrounding vegetation and toxic to pets—you won’t want any spillover. Repeat this process several times for a few months, and eventually rock salt will kill the tree roots. (You’ll know the roots are dead when there is no longer any regrowth from the trunk.)
Fear that the roots have invaded a sewer line or your foundation? Maybe you wish to keep the decomposing material from feeding unattractive fungus. In either case, you could also attempt digging the larger tree roots out of the ground. It’s an arduous process, but once you remove them you can reclaim your lawn.
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Homeowners usually welcome trees on their property. But some trees are invasive species that can destroy a garden over time. Other trees can damage your home, ruin your foundation, or restrict access to light. nine0003
If you are ready to chemically remove a tree, you need to reconsider your options and make an informed choice about the best method for your situation.
If you are concerned about chemicals or are removing a tree in an area where you grow fruits or vegetables, you can physically cut down the tree.
If you are comfortable using a chemical herbicide, however, there are several options.
Chemical herbicides are effective and relatively cheap. On the other hand, they involve the use of potentially harmful substances in your area. There are ways to reduce the risk, but you may prefer to avoid chemicals altogether. In this case, you have two options for tree removal by the arborist, felling the tree. nine0003
Herbicide Tree Killing, Treatment
Herbicides can kill trees and be environmentally friendly when used correctly. The most environmentally friendly methods involve applying a herbicide to a specific area to kill the tree with chemicals. However, in some cases the only viable way to chemically kill a tree is to use a herbicide spray.
There are five main types of herbicides, only some of which are intended for domestic or agricultural use. Triclopyramine and triclopyr ester are growth regulator type herbicides, while glyphosate and imazapyr kill plants by interfering with plant protein synthesis.
Aminopyralide is primarily effective on legumes like kudzu and may not be right for your needs. nine0003
Chemical Tree Treatment
Here are six ways to chemically remove trees:
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- Cut Surface Treatment: This chemical tree removal method involves creating a chemical pathway through the bark so that the herbicide can be injected into the tree's vascular tissue. Start by making a series of downward cuts around the circumference of the tree with an ax or axe, leaving the frill (cut section of bark) connected to the tree. Apply herbicide of choice to cuts immediately. Avoid using springs when the juice from the wound prevents good suction. nine0058
- Injection Treatment: Use specialized tree chemical injection equipment to inject a certain amount of herbicide into the tree when the cut is made. Treatments are effective when injections are made every 2-6 inches around the tree. 3 For best results with the chemical tree removal method, treat trees with a diameter of 5 cm or more at chest level.
The injection is performed by a tree removal company because it requires investment in equipment. nine0058 - Chemical Treatment of Stumps: After cutting down a tree, you can minimize the possibility of regrowth by immediately treating the freshly cut surface of the stump with herbicide to prevent germination. On large trees, treat only 5-7 cm, including the cambium layer, the stump (the inner core of the tree is already dead). For trees 8 cm or less in diameter, treat the entire cut surface.
- Basal Bark Treatment: Apply herbicide to the bottom 12-18 inches of tree trunk (on bark) from early spring to mid-fall. 3 Some species can be treated during the winter. Use a herbicide spray mixed with oil until the bark is saturated. The ester compositions are the only oil soluble products registered for this application. This method is effective at chemically killing trees of all sizes. nine0058
- Foliage treatment: Foliar spraying to kill trees with chemicals is a common method of applying herbicides to clean up to 3.
5 m in height. Apply from early summer to late September depending on herbicide choice. Treatments are least effective in very hot weather and when the trees are under severe water stress. - Tillage: Some tillages applied uniformly to the soil surface may move to the root zone of target plants after sufficient rainfall or high moisture. Tying (also called lacing or veining) applies the concentrated solution to the soil in a line or strip spaced every 05m, -1m. You can use this type of application to chemically kill a large number of trees. nine0058
Chemical wood removal tips.
Learn how to safely and legally use herbicides before starting a chemical tree removal project. Herbicide treatment of roots or soil (or sprayed herbicides) can inadvertently kill vegetation.
- Get detailed information about the chemical treatment of trees. You are responsible for the wood killer chemicals you use and their end effect. nine0058
- When cutting a tree on stumps, apply herbicide immediately so that your tree does not have a chance to start repairing itself and you can achieve maximum absorption.
- Plant roots can share vascular tissue through root grafting, which occurs mostly in the same species, but can occur between plants of the same genus. Your herbicide can go from treated tree to untreated tree, causing chemical destruction, killing or injuring it. nine0058
- A serious consequence of chemical application to trees is that the treated tree can release the herbicide back into the environment, damaging nearby trees and vegetation.
- The addition of stains or dyes to the herbicide solution greatly improves application accuracy. Applicators use dyes to observe chemically treated trees when removed, so they are less likely to miss or overpaint target trees. The use of stains can also indicate personal exposure. nine0058
- Avoid applying the herbicide where it could damage other plants.
Cut down or save: What to do with dangerous trees in the yard?
Cut down or save: what to do with dangerous trees in the yard? - DELFI Uz saturu nine0002 Foto: ShutterstockArticle Actions
It happens that trees grow very close to the house. In summer, such a neighborhood can be useful, because thanks to the dense foliage near the house there is a cool shade that saves on hot days. However, in a thunderstorm or in strong winds, problems can arise - huge branches in the wind can not only knock on the roof, but also damage it. We tell you how to determine if a tree near the house is dangerous and where to turn in case of problems. nine0014
Tree specialist, dendrologist, certified arborist and head of Koku Eksperts Guido Leiburgs, says that trees are planted near the house not only for the beautiful scenery and pleasant shade in summer, but also for practical purposes and protection of the house. "Big trees make the house energy efficient - it heats up less in the summer, and in the winter the trees protect it from the wind. In this way, the temperature in the house does not drop as quickly as it would happen if it were not protected in any way.
In addition, if there are large trees growing around the house, trees, in the event of a fire, the oxygen supply is reduced and the combustion process slows down a bit. In open areas, a fire can cause more damage, "says the expert. nine0003
Leiburgs also notes that the performance of these functions depends to a large extent on the structure of plantings, their density, distance from home and location. Of course, everything has its pros and cons. The more trees near the house that cast a shadow on the roof, the more moss and moisture will accumulate there. Because of this, some part of the roof may be damaged, and in autumn the drains will be overflowing with leaves and they will have to be cleaned more often.
A not always dangerous tree needs to be cut down
Leiburgs notes that a qualified expert can determine whether a tree growing near a house can really threaten the health and life of a person or the condition of a house. “A tree may seem dangerous to a person, but this does not mean that cutting it down is the only way out.
You must always evaluate both the positive effect of the tree and possible damage. Perhaps the tree harms the house not as much as it might seem,” says Leiburgs and adds that in most cases, old trees are kept as long as possible, and proper care usually helps to keep the tree and home safe. This can be done even if there are cavities in the tree or tinder fungi are found (which is a signal that the tree needs to be examined). nine0003
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