killing a tree

lookitsme

hi guys, I am cutting down some trees that grew unwanted to quite a height between my wooden shed and the back wall. I have managed to move the shed and with the aid of a drill and large bit an a good aul axe I got the trees down. so what is the best way to stop them returning. I have seen videos of people burn the stumps but this would be to dangerous in a built up area. other methods are drilling holes in the stump and adding something like roundup.

any ideas or advice appreciated

magicbastarder

what sort of trees are they? if they were conifers, you shouldn't need to do anything else.

looksee

As Magicbastarder says, most trees will not return/sprout once cut down. A few might, but it would be necessary to know what trees they are/were?

lookitsme

tbh I dont know what they are myself but I have been told they might be ash. I cut them down a good few years ago but not down to the root as I couldn't get access to them and they just started up again.

looksee

Yes, ash is one of the ones that will sprout, you will need to put something on them but I am not the best to advise on what, hopefully someone else will tell you

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Get some stump or brushwood killer.

jimbev

https://www.donedeal.ie/gardenplants-for-sale/stump-grinder-for-hire/14078753

Hocus Focus

Or diesel.

lookitsme

well I got the stumps up by using an axe and sledgehammer to split them then got most of the larger roots with a pick and spade. it was difficult in the tight space but it got a bit addictive. would I be right by guessing that once the stump is gone they wont grow back as in the roots wont sprout. there is one stump left that is turning out to be difficult, it is like the tree grew on my side of the fence but the neighbour has a good percentage of the root, because of this I would prefer not to use a chemical or diesel in case it had a negative impact on her garden. I was told I could use veg oil as a greener alternative so I drilled a few holes in it and poured some down. has any one heard about using veg oil.

flutered

there are many vids on utube on this subject

_Brian

I can't see Veg oil doing much.

I'd be adding roundup or brushwood killer tonthe holes in the stump. It will have no effect her side of the fence at all.

Depending on the plant it may regrow from strong roots. But you could use roundup on any new shoots if it does.

In general chemicals don't go spreading themselves all round the place, if you use them carefully they work within the plant to kill from the inside.

Odelay

If you have done that much removal, I'd be inclined to get some black plastic, heavy stuff. Try your local builders merchants for timber bale wrap out of a skip. Generally it is white outside and black inside. Put it down black side down over the roots for the summer/next spring. Should be out of sight if behind the shed. This should discourage the remaining roots from growing shoots.

Oldtree

lookitsme wrote: »

well I got the stumps up by using an axe and sledgehammer to split them then got most of the larger roots with a pick and spade. it was difficult in the tight space but it got a bit addictive. would I be right by guessing that once the stump is gone they wont grow back as in the roots wont sprout. there is one stump left that is turning out to be difficult, it is like the tree grew on my side of the fence but the neighbour has a good percentage of the root, because of this I would prefer not to use a chemical or diesel in case it had a negative impact on her garden. I was told I could use veg oil as a greener alternative so I drilled a few holes in it and poured some down. has any one heard about using veg oil.

I have heard nothing about veg oil (only thing I can think.of where veg oil might help is if a strong solution of roundup was mixed with the veg oil and put in holes adjacent to the cambium)
Don't get me started on the diesel nonsense
bad for so many reasons.

Digging out the root is the most effective method, if just want to remove tree stump then dig around stump to find major roots then cut major roots with axe, pull out stump!

otherwise:

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. Drilling holes elsewhere outside of functioning wood is a waste of time. Functioning wood could be (depending on the tree amd site) up to the last 10 annual rings or so.

Cut the stump off as low amd level as possible to expose the most cambium, ie the biggest level circle you can make. Using the chainsaw cut a groove (or drill 1-2cm holes) around the inner edge of the stump, as close to the edge as you can without cutting through the outer bark, about a centimeter or so deep.

Into this groove put Rootout, or a similar product. This is the product I am talking about, you may be able to get it elsewhere. It breaks down into nitrogen fertiliser after a while so relativly safe to use in chemical terms.

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, such as a peat/compost bag to ensure the rain dosnt wash the rootout away and weigh down the bag with stones.

Repeat applications may be necessary, but this is a very effective method I've used on very large poplars.

Stumps then biodegrade away over time.

Wyldwood

Oldtree, I thought Rootout was removed by the EU, can you still buy it in Ireland? I always found it the best for killing off stumps of trees and shrubs but have been told numerous times that it's been withdrawn.

Oldtree

Wyldwood wrote: »

Oldtree, I thought Rootout was removed by the EU, can you still buy it in Ireland? I always found it the best for killing off stumps of trees and shrubs but have been told numerous times that it's been withdrawn.

I am not sure as I havn't needed it in years. I just Googled it to get a picture of the box. It does a very good job and was very effective on the poplars.

Maby a roundup mix of 3 times the normal strength would work in the grooves, or on leaves from any shoots from the stump.

Just had a look at the web page link above and they seem to be selling it as a compost accelerator. How odd.