Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Killing the roots of a tree

Options
  • 11-01-2012 1:25am
    #1
    Darragh3206
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭


    I have some alder and birch trees growing on top of a very important concrete penstock pipe. They are about 10 to 12 years old. I need to get kill the trees and root network ASAP. Can someone recommend a method for doing this? A friend recommended taking my Stihl to them and painting the butts with 'round up' poison. will this do the job? thanks in advance. Darragh.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    idunnoshur
    Closed Accounts Posts: 185 ✭✭idunnoshur


    A friend of mine drove copper nails into a neighbors tree to kill it because it was blocking light from his house and it worked, I'll ask him tomorrow if it killed the roots as well.


  • Options
    #3
    Slattsy
    Registered Users Posts: 15,775 ✭✭✭✭Slattsy


    Bore a decent sized hole deep into the root and pour a galon or 2 of diesel into it and around the base of the trunk.


  • Options
    #4
    john t
    Closed Accounts Posts: 295 ✭✭john t


    Darragh cut them too the but and round up works but 10yr old tree will require round up over 6mnth period.


  • Options
    #5
    49801
    Registered Users Posts: 1,844 ✭✭✭49801


    cut as low to the ground as possible.
    cut a couple of holes with tip of chain saw
    apply a coctail of waste oil and chemical like round up over enire remaining surface and allow to poul in bores.
    might be no harm to cover with a plastic bag for the rain


  • Options
    #6
    Oldtree
    Registered Users Posts: 8,104 ✭✭✭Oldtree


    I don't think polluting your own land with spurious chemicals or diesel is a good idea.

    Birch are unlikely to regrow once cut but alder will.

    The living layer of the tree is a very thin green layer just under the bark. It is called the cambium and that is what you will want to kill to stop the tree growing.

    Cut the stump off as low as possible to expose the most cambium, ie the biggest level circle you can make. Using the chainsaw cut a groove around the inner edge of the stump, as close to the edge as you can without cutting through the outer bark, about a centimeter deep.

    Into this groove put Rootout, you should be able to get it at the co-op. This is the product I am talking about. It breaks down into nitrogen after a while so fairly safe to use.

    http://www.garden-products.info/rootout.htm

    Wear gloves and fill up the entire groove all the way round with the rootout crystals. Cover the stump with plastic to ensure the rain dosnt wash the rootout away and weigh down with stones.

    Repeat applications may be necessary, but this is a very effective method.


  • Advertisement
Advertisement