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A large tree is about 40 feet tall. Its roots grow under a building and may damage the building foundation.
What is the easiest way to get rid of the roots of the tree?
Someone suggested cutting the tree above the ground and pouring salted water down the cut section. Hopefully the salt will kill the remaining tree with its roots. Is this a feasible solution?
Salted water won't be strong enough but this method will kill the roots and it will also make the tree stump and roots rot from the inside out within a year.
1 - Cut the tree off close to the ground and make sure the top cut of the remaining stump is as flat and horizontal as possible.
2 - Drill several big holes in the top of the stump, drill as deep down as the drill will go. Do NOT use a chainsaw to make straight cuts in the top of the stump, you need holes in it, not straight cuts.
3 - Pack each hole tightly full with your choice of epsom salt, crushed rock salt or pickling salt.
4 - Carefully add strong vinegar to each hole to completely saturate the salt in each hole. Be careful not to get salt or vinegar on the ground or near any other plants or grass that are nearby the tree stump, as it will kill them too. It won't matter if some of the vinegar gets spilled on the top of the stump, that's going to happen when you're dribbling vinegar into the salt-packed holes anyway.
5 - Cover the stump with a BLACK plastic bag to block light and prevent rain water from washing away the salt and vinegar.
6 - Repeat applications of packed salt and vinegar into the holes again in two weeks, and then again in three months, cover again each time with the black plastic bag.
Why kill a tree? If this is a nice tree, why not do a root barrier?
I did it with my 3 huge, old (70+ y.o.) pecan trees that grow close to my house. They give me much appreciated shade during the hot Summer.
That's a new one. Have you used that method with success and can personally attest that it works? Or, did you just Google it and paste it in hee?
I've used Epsom Salts. Then, I used Stump Out. However, I have not covered them. I have a few small to medium stumps.
Are you asking me if I googled and pasted it? I don't know if I should feel insulted or complimented.
LOL. Does it really look like copy and paste to you? If you think so then I'll suggest you take a boo through some of my other much lengthier posts here in the garden forum and then you can get back to me and tell me if you think the way I write is indicative of somebody who does a lot of copy and pasting or else has a LOT of personal and successful gardening experience.
In the meantime I'll attest that the method I posted above is based on my many decades of personal and successful gardening experience. As a matter of fact I have tons of experience about a LOT of things, not only gardening.
Why do you still have a few small to medium stumps? How long have they been there? You shouldn't have any stumps at all if you've done your job right. Or maybe you just like the looks of your stumps?
If you want to get rid of your stumps more quickly after treatment then you should cover them during the treatment. The reason for covering the stump snugly with a black plastic covering that prevents water and light from getting through is not only to protect the salt and vinegar from washing away in rain. It's also to slow down evaporation of the vinegar and keep the bark naturally warm and humid enough to encourage the growth of fungi that rots the bark and layers of wood on the exterior part of the stump while the interior layers of wood and roots are being killed by the vinegar and salt.
It is also intended to ensure that the precocious growth of sucker buds that exist just under the cambium and bark around the stump is prevented from happening and putting out suckers near ground level while the stump and roots are dying.
Once the stump and roots are dead and are rotting well from both inside and outside then the black covering can be removed. The stump and roots are easier to remove if desirable after it's all rotted into punky wood. The crumbling punky remains can be easily pulled apart with gloved hands.
Another method to make stumps rot faster from the outside in is to pile up copious amounts of hot composting material around and on top of stumps. It does the job but it looks unsightly because of their resemblance to gigantic mole hills or termite mounds with clusters of ugly brown toadstools growing on them and in the yard.
Are you asking me if I googled and pasted it? I don't know if I should feel insulted or complimented.
LOL. Does it really look like copy and paste to you? If you think so then I'll suggest you take a boo through some of my other much lengthier posts here in the garden forum and then you can get back to me and tell me if you think the way I write is indicative of somebody who does a lot of copy and pasting or else has a LOT of personal and successful gardening experience.
In the meantime I'll attest that the method I posted above is based on my many decades of personal and successful gardening experience. As a matter of fact I have tons of experience about a LOT of things, not only gardening.
Why do you still have a few small to medium stumps? How long have they been there? You shouldn't have any stumps at all if you've done your job right. Or maybe you just like the looks of your stumps?
If you want to get rid of your stumps more quickly after treatment then you should cover them during the treatment. The reason for covering the stump snugly with a black plastic covering that prevents water and light from getting through is not only to protect the salt and vinegar from washing away in rain. It's also to slow down evaporation of the vinegar and keep the bark naturally warm and humid enough to encourage the growth of fungi that rots the bark and layers of wood on the exterior part of the stump while the interior layers of wood and roots are being killed by the vinegar and salt.
It is also intended to ensure that the precocious growth of sucker buds that exist just under the cambium and bark around the stump is prevented from happening and putting out suckers near ground level while the stump and roots are dying.
Once the stump and roots are dead and are rotting well from both inside and outside then the black covering can be removed. The stump and roots are easier to remove if desirable after it's all rotted into punky wood. The crumbling punky remains can be easily pulled apart with gloved hands.
Another method to make stumps rot faster from the outside in is to pile up copious amounts of hot composting material around and on top of stumps. It does the job but it looks unsightly because of their resemblance to gigantic mole hills or termite mounds with clusters of ugly brown toadstools growing on them and in the yard.
.
No, I just want to be sure it works is all. I might cover the plastic with bark dust so it doesn't look unsightly. Yes, I took a bunch of stuff out last year. I decided to take arborvitaes out on the sides of the backyard so that now they are only up against the back wall. I took out a couple of trees that one had lost a huge branch that was a humongous part of the tree and the trees were just very sickly looking.
I watched a bunch of YouTube videos on the subject with people with varying results (so, it was hard to determine what would actually work). I started with Epsom Salts on all of them for a period of time along with some round up directly on the stump at first. Then, when it got hot and dru I switched to Stump Out. So, now it sounds like I'll try your method since you say it works.
A large tree is about 40 feet tall. Its roots grow under a building and may damage the building foundation.
What is the easiest way to get rid of the roots of the tree?
Someone suggested cutting the tree above the ground and pouring salted water down the cut section. Hopefully the salt will kill the remaining tree with its roots. Is this a feasible solution?
Please do not use any type of salt on your property: the salt doesn’t just disappear- even if the tree stump rotted eventually - the salt migrates with the water in soil and could damage your concrete foundation eventually or other desirable vegetation.
The salt in the soil is an actual problem in the SW.
It would NOT help to rot the in ground roots - in fact it would impede rotting. The salt may just prevent SOME trees from re-sprouting - but most of the trees do not re-sprout if cut.
Just get professional arborist to cut the tree down and to grind the stump.
Then the landscaper or you level the soil and place whatever landscape you want - turf, gravel, shrubbery, etc.
If you must leave the stump to save money (it wouldn’t save much btw) - do what zoisite recommended- drilling many holes with the spade drill bit - but fill it with rich black soil or compost - to introduce some microbes and 100% nitrogen fertilizer (some people just pour their own urine on it as it is a rich nitrogen source) - it will help microbes and fungi to establish and rot the tree - the stump must be kept moist - cover with soil and spray often?
Still it would take a year or 2 for the stump to collapse? Just rent the stump grinder or better yet hire the guy with the stump grinder..
The roots of the trees even the large ones don’t grow too deep - they need air which isn’t available deep down - so your foundation may not be affected at all? And one doesn’t need to get rid of roots deep down - they have no life of its own …and don’t attack your foundation
Check with your insurance - they may pay for tree removal in some cases if it presents the danger to the house?
What type of tree is it? How close to the house?
Some have tap roots which go straight down and may not be a factor for your foundation issues.
In this case just correct pruning to raise the branches could be all you need?
Looks like there is a program in your city ? where one could get a water bill discount for the tree maintenance?
Healthy trees are good!
Salted water won't be strong enough but this method will kill the roots and it will also make the tree stump and roots rot from the inside out within a year.
1 - Cut the tree off close to the ground and make sure the top cut of the remaining stump is as flat and horizontal as possible.
2 - Drill several big holes in the top of the stump, drill as deep down as the drill will go. Do NOT use a chainsaw to make straight cuts in the top of the stump, you need holes in it, not straight cuts.
3 - Pack each hole tightly full with your choice of epsom salt, crushed rock salt or pickling salt.
4 - Carefully add strong vinegar to each hole to completely saturate the salt in each hole. Be careful not to get salt or vinegar on the ground or near any other plants or grass that are nearby the tree stump, as it will kill them too. It won't matter if some of the vinegar gets spilled on the top of the stump, that's going to happen when you're dribbling vinegar into the salt-packed holes anyway.
5 - Cover the stump with a BLACK plastic bag to block light and prevent rain water from washing away the salt and vinegar.
6 - Repeat applications of packed salt and vinegar into the holes again in two weeks, and then again in three months, cover again each time with the black plastic bag.
Why kill a tree? If this is a nice tree, why not do a root barrier?
I did it with my 3 huge, old (70+ y.o.) pecan trees that grow close to my house. They give me much appreciated shade during the hot Summer.
Zoisite KNOWS that stuff, trust me.
The tree is too close to the building and blocks much-needed daylight.
The tree's roots probably have already extended under the building. Therefore too late to add a barrier.
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Does it really look like copy and paste to you? If you think so then I'll suggest you take a boo through some of my other much lengthier posts here in the garden forum and then you can get back to me and tell me if you think the way I write is indicative of somebody who does a lot of copy and pasting or else has a LOT of personal and successful gardening experience.
