Killing a Tree

[PopcornSutton]

I have a bradford pear tree too close to the house. I want to kill it and cut it down. I drilled a 1/2" hole about 3" deep at a fork, and have been pouring Roundup in the hole from time to time all winter. It sucks into the tree overnight, but it appears it's going to bud out. Any way I can speed this up? If it just "dies", the better half can't complain about getting rid of it.

[45DUDE]

cut 2''s deep around the trunk with a chain saw.

[country gent]

In the winter there is little sap flow, Round up needs to get to the roots thru the system to kill give it time chances are when it warms up and the tree starts to come out of winter the round up will work down and kill.

[schutzen-jager]

old timers have always told me to drive a copper nail into trunk - i never tried it ! -

[cwtebay]

Cut it down use your chainsaw to kerf the stump in a crosshatch pattern, spread stump remover into the kerfs.

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[Tripplebeards]

Yup cut a ring of bark off all the way around the base of the tree removing the bark. Trees drink “feed” up from the thin Cambian layer just under the bark. With the bark removed it also removes that layer so it can’t drink. A beaver rung one of the trees in the backyard last year. I have a new runner coming up from the base of the tree. Trees are like ticks… you can’t kill him. Lol.

But I sure can kill the beaver! Just made jerky out of some.

The tree could still be dead but have enough energy left stored that it’s gonna still bud out and then die. I’ve seen that happen.

[wildwilly501]

Why do you want to kill it before you cut it down?Im sure you’re going to cut it down right after it’s dead but it’s safer and easier to cut down a live tree.

[trails4u]

glyphosate (the active chemical in roundup) is a foliar treatment, i.e. the tree/plant absorbs it through the leaves. I'm not going to say that you can't treat a stump/bole of a tree with roundup and eventually kill it, but it's not going to be very effective unless, in my opinion, in great quantities. 2-4-D, garlon, arsenal (triclopyr or amazapyr) would probably be more effective.

[dverna]

You do not want a tree close to the house to die. I have had a few trees close to the house removed that were healthy but one never knows how an ice storm or high wind or both will do to a tree. A dead tree is worse IMO.

I had a professional with insurance do mine.

[Tripplebeards]

You do not want a tree close to the house to die. I have had a few trees close to the house removed that were healthy but one never knows how an ice storm or high wind or both will do to a tree. A dead tree is worse IMO.

I had a professional with insurance do mine.


Not to mention how the ground is going to sink when the roots rot. I have giant ruts in my yard and on the river bank from rotted roots. We cut a tree down a few years ago. The “smaller” roots are finally rotting and the ground sinking above them. The main roots have not rotted yet from big maple. It’s going to be a nightmare when they do being they are next to a brick retaining wall.


I was standing in ice water the other day with a shovel filling the river bank back in where the “land slide” happened from rotting roots. I blamed it on muskrats at first till I realized there were not tracks or chewed on branches in the area.

[PopcornSutton]

My intent is for it to die, not bud or leaf out, then cut it down.

[35 Rem]

I've had real good luck killing trees in the Winter by making a few chops with a hatchet that leave an upward facing notch in the bark. Put a few squirts of pure roundup in each notch with a squirt bottle and that tree is going to die.

[.429&H110]

NH I girdled my huge beech trees in March so they didn't leaf out, felled them in June.
As stated above, a two inch deep slot around will kill any tree.
Amateurs with weed whackers can kill a whole grove.
I found I was one season ahead on drying the firewood by doing this.
These trees were heart rot and some scary to fell.

If your pear tree isn't huge, you could transplant it with a backhoe quickly.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

trails4u has it right, Roundup/glyphosate is absorbed by leaves when the plant grows. It has little effect on dormant plants, but can be absorbed by the roots of growing trees when applied too close to the growing trees. It is most effective when sprayed on growing leaves. After application, it takes about two weeks to break down and the ground can be planted, or plants that were dormant when applied will start to grow where the glyphosate was applied.

[Tripplebeards]

NH I girdled my huge beech trees in March so they didn't leaf out, felled them in June.
As stated above, a two inch deep slot around will kill any tree.
Amateurs with weed whackers can kill a whole grove.
I found I was one season ahead on drying the firewood by doing this.
These trees were heart rot and some scary to fell.

If your pear tree isn't huge, you could transplant it with a backhoe quickly.


Girdled was term I wanted to use but forgot.

Id try and get it transplanted too if it’s not too big. If not, those are the branches, I use off my fruit trees for all my meat I smoke!

[Shawlerbrook]

Rock salt !

[Tripplebeards]

If it’s too big, you can just cut down all the branches and let it regrow. “Topping” it basically is what it’s called. Kinda looks like crap to me, but it shrinks the tree way down and let it start all over again.

[Winger Ed.]

With my brown thumb---
I've had good luck killing any plant by just wanting them to grow.

[Bwana John]

Rock salt !
Not if you ever want anything else to grow there in the future

Girdle it.

[txbirdman]

“Remedy” is what you want. We use it to kill mesquite trees. If it will kill them it will kill anything.

[35 Rem]

I have also used Remedy mixed with kerosene or diesel fuel in a 1 to 3 ratio. Wet the base of the trunk up about 18 inches and let it soak in. It works well but is not nearly as cheap a generic Roundup applied as i mentioned above.

[poppy42]

I’m a little confused, why are you trying to kill it and then cut it down? Dead trees have a better chance of coming down in a storm, or just coming down period! Just cut it down! If you have your heart set on killing it first all you have to do is ring the tree! The only part of the tree that is actually alive is the cambium layer. The layer directly underneath the bark so if you cut the cambium layer which contains the vascular system of a tree you will kill the tree! Cut a two or 3 inch strip around the whole tree and peel away the bark in the underlying material (you only have to go about a half inch deep) around the whole tree and remove the material within that strip and you cut the vascular system for the tree in essence killing the tree! No chemicals needed! Drilling a hole in a tree and pouring chemicals into it is doing nothing but pouring your money away is that part of the tree is already dead! But like I said the smart thing to do is just cut the tree down! How big is this tree anyway? Oh and by the way I’m a retired arborist so I’m not just giving speculation I actually know what I’m talking about. Good luck in whatever you decide.

[Tripplebeards]

It’s a pear tree. I’m sure most are dwarf so I am betting the base can’t be 8” to a foot in diameter. All my fruit tree bases are super small. Even the apple tree that have been around for 40 plus years. Not even coffee can diameter. So I’m guess the OP’s tree is pretty small. If not I’m jealous. Two seconds with a chainsaw or a half a minute with a handsaw and I’m sure it would be on the ground.

[popper]

Just cut it down! Then have fun digging out the roots. People plant those and crêpe myrtles next to foundations only to find they suck the h2o from under the slab. Then complain when the foundation needs fixin.

[Minerat]

If it just "dies", the better half can't complain about getting rid of it.

This is the key to the problem. When the boss wants something left you have to use devious methods to win out in the end.[smilie=1:

[Alex_4x4]

I have a bradford pear tree too close to the house. I want to kill it and cut it down. I drilled a 1/2" hole about 3" deep at a fork, and have been pouring Roundup in the hole from time to time all winter. It sucks into the tree overnight, but it appears it's going to bud out. Any way I can speed this up? If it just "dies", the better half can't complain about getting rid of it.

Judging by your words, you have two problems:
- The first problem, and the smallest one, is that a tree grows too close to your house and, apparently, this tree can cause damage to your house;
- The second problem, and the biggest one, is your better half, who doesn’t see the first problem.

You can, of course, offer you a fantastic plan - try to convince a woman to cut down a tree and save your house, but I don’t really believe in fairy tales. I personally did not succeed and the summer house on my site is being destroyed under the influence of the root system of a pine tree located close to the house.

In chess, a situation similar to yours is called zugzwang and you can only sympathize with it. A woman is the best thing that fate can give a man in life, but at times, you really want to give this gift back.

Yes, and another piece of advice: be careful with chemicals - after some time it may turn out that they are not at all as safe as the manufacturer stated and you have poisoned your land with your own hands. And if you grow something on your land and then eat it, it can have consequences for you and your family.

[owejia]

Spike is a herbicide in pellet form, with a clay base that is spread on top of the ground under the canopy of the tree. Rain melts the spike and takes it to the roots and kill them. I don't know if you can still buy it or not. A double hand full will kill the biggest trees. Takes a while for it to work. Kills from the roots up. CrossBow or Remedy will also work. Remedy was one application but usually took two of Crossbow. Kill stumps by spraying or painting it on with a brush. Just googled spike and it is still available. Not cheap.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I'd rather cut a live tree down, instead of cutting a log soaked in Roundup, I try to avoid Roundup now that they figure there is a chance of it causing non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

[Tripplebeards]

You can always soak something around the stump as long as you never want to grow something there anymore or poison any pets. Imo your just wasting time and money dumping stuff on the tree. Spend a couple minutes and cut down and be done with it. I'm sure someone who Smokes mean would jump on the chance to come get it.

[higgins]

In my experience Bradford Pears are notorious for sprouting from the lower trunk and surface roots. To get glyphosate into the roots, cut the tree within a few inches of the ground and immediately paint the stump generously with 41% glyphosate; don't use the weaker solutions available in the big stores. I use the generic from Tractor Supply. It was about $16 per quart last spring at my store. Using this method I have killed dozens of small trees of several species, as well as ornamentals and the notorious privet hedge. I even killed kudzu tubers using this method once I found that vine going into the ground that was about 3-4" diameter. The stump must be treated immediately after cutting - do not wait till the next day or days later.

I've only needed to treat small stumps once, but to be sure it might not hurt to leave a stump a few inches high on the first cut and then go back a few days later and repeat the procedure closer to the ground with your final cut. A dendrologist friend tells me that tree roots are active in normal winter temperatures in the southeast as long a the ground isn't frozen or the weather crazy cold like we had a few weeks ago. I have used the above method on woody plants that were leafed out, as well as this time of year before they leaf.

[farmbif]

if your drilling holes to put in poison use potassium nitrate, yup, the same stuff you use to make black powder

[Handloader109]

He's scared of his wife so he's trying to kill it. Just man up and cut it down. I had three river birch that were 6 feet from my garage the PO had planted. I was here 6 years before finally getting them cut down. Had already heaved the two sidewalks coming to the house. Should Never have been planted that close. 20 feet is really too close, 6 feet is stupid. They had gotten to 10 to 12 inch diameter. So glad they are gone.

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[DeuceTwo]

Velpar

[elmacgyver0]

You should just cut it down and take your lumps.
You are going to be in a lot more trouble once your wife finds out you murdered the tree and tried to hide it from her.
Unless she is a total idiot, she WILL find out.

[baogongmeo]

Tordon RTU in the hole. An ounce or so.

[nannyhammer]

Cut it down and then treat the stump with a mix of water and triclopyr mixed 50/50. Treat the stump as soon as you cut it down and it will suck the triclopyr into the roots killing it for good..

[SciFiJim]

I had a crêpe myrtle tree I needed to kill before cutting down because I wanted the roots dead. If not, they will grow back. The trunks were a little bigger than my thumb is around. I cut them off with lopping shears and then used a sponge to soak the end of each trunk with Round-Up concentrate. It took repeated applications over a year of cutting the trunk about six inches lower and reapplying the Round-Up, but it eventually worked.

[sigep1764]

You told her it was too close. If she doesn't understand those dangers, that's not your concern. Cut the tree down and go about your business.

[john.k]

I got a notice from the council to eradicate vines by the next door fence ...........the vines are a climbing bean ,and very hard to kill...........anyhoo,I hit them with a mix including Tordon /Roundup/Associate ..........killed the vines (temporarily) and also killed some big trees that have council protected status........I reckon I overdid it.........So far the council havent found out.

[cwtebay]

You told her it was too close. If she doesn't understand those dangers, that's not your concern. Cut the tree down and go about your business.Please tell me you're married!!!!

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[perotter]

I've killed a few dozen with the roundup method you're using. But I've always done it in the spring or summer when there is sap running.

FWIW. The roundup will get out of the roots and get into plants nearby, but didn't kill them(tulips and lillys). Just kind of turned the edges of the leaves brown for a while.

[15meter]

There used to be instructions on either 2-4D or 2-5T( hotter version for killing brush) jugs on injecting the straight herbicide with a hypodermic needle into the cambium layer in multiple injections around the perifery(sp) of the trunk. Totally invisible to the casual observer but kills the tree, roots and all.

If I was to do it, I'd use a cattle syringe, if it will go through the hide of a steer, I'm pretty sure it will make it through the outer bark off a bradford pear.

All bradford pears need to die, they're a miserable tree.

Whole 'nother story about my dealing with bradford pears and an insane sister.

[sigep1764]

Please tell me you're married!!!!

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Lol I am married. I am the less emotional half. It's simply pragmatic to protect the investment, in this case, the house. One of the reasons we chose our house was the fact there are no trees on our property or either neighbors properties. Once Gaul took root in a friend's tree and a neighbor across the streets tree, she said she sure is glad we don't have trees to contend with. Each tree was more than $3k to take down.

[Bmi48219]

I empathize with the OP. My wife doesn’t put much thought to how trees and bushes are going to fit where she wants to plant them. A lot of people are like that.
I’ve had good success drilling downward angled 3/8th inch holes a couple inches deep into the tree / bush, just above the ground. Space the holes 4” to 5” apart. I use a little squeeze bottle filled with ‘RODEO’ to fill the holes, then plug holes with twigs. Sometimes I administer a second dose a week later. Usually kills them within a month.
On the subject of pear trees, growing up we had a full size pear in our backyard. It was easily 30 feet tall and 24” Diameter a few feet above the ground. Mom canned pears, used them in pies, breads etc. and put them in our lunches. To this day I really don’t like pears.

[.45Cole]

If you cut through the bark in a circle around the trunk the tree will no longer be able to lift water and nutrients to the tree, this will kill it. Think a chainsaw cutting 1/2" into the bark in a circumference around the trunk. Google phloem if needed. WARNING: if you kill this tree tons of pests will be attracted to the dying tree and your other trees will be at heightened risk of disease and pest problems until the dying host tree is removed.

[Bmi48219]

OP is trying to make it look like the tree died on its own. Girdling it with a chain saw is kind of difficult to hide.

[cwtebay]

My intent is for it to die, not bud or leaf out, then cut it down.Oooohhhhh.......I recently have had a few neighbour disputes with trees. Drill the biggest hole you dare angling down as close to the ground as you can - pour in stump remover until it's flush, then tamp that in as far as you can. Fill the hole with newspaper (acts like a wick). Tree dies.....one person knows.

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[gwpercle]

Why do you want to kill it before you cut it down?Im sure you’re going to cut it down right after it’s dead but it’s safer and easier to cut down a live tree.

The wife wont let him remove it because it is alive ...
If the tree dies ... he is then free of any explanation and can remove it ...

Landscaping by Deception !

[sigep1764]

Can you just drill a couple of holes and pour diesel into it?

[Rapier]

Own a pine tree farm. I get rid of different types of volunteer and Mr Bushytail planted trees all year long. Easiest way to kill that thin bark, pear tree is to cut a ring around the trunk through the white tissue under the bark, cut a second ring about a foot up, peel the bark and camper off all around between the two rings. use a wide sharp blade, like a machete or cane knife, they are fast and easy. The tree is dead. Any chemicals affect other growth.
One of the better stump removers, close to a structure, is potassium nitrate, drill the stump and fill the holes. The nitrogen starts the decay process quickly and actually feeds the surrounding plants or grass.

[mack2]

Girdled was term I wanted to use but forgot.

Id try and get it transplanted too if it’s not too big. If not, those are the branches, I use off my fruit trees for all my meat I smoke!

It's a Bradford Pear (nauseous weed here) Cut it down and paint the stump with Tordon.

[cwtebay]

It's a Bradford Pear (nauseous weed here) Cut it down and paint the stump with Tordon.Best of luck if he doesn't have an application license - and definitely not super friendly for future planting.

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[Barry54]

What a shame to kill a tree that smells so good! :kidding:

[mack2]

Best of luck if he doesn't have an application license - and definitely not super friendly for future planting.

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I guess the applicator restrictions are different in other places, I can buy Tordon at the local hardware. I don't think I would want a tree next to my house but some may.

[.45Cole]

she finds out that tree didn't die of natural causes he better hope she doesn't find the stump remover! I didn't realize this was a covert op. That tree will take a year or more to die "a natural death", if she googles a tree that died in 6 months shes going to come to a covert op conclusion.

[Finster101]

Interesting the lack of participation by the OP.

[wgr]

cut it down go rent a stump remover and be done

[vintovka]

glyphosate (the active chemical in roundup) is a foliar treatment, i.e. the tree/plant absorbs it through the leaves. I'm not going to say that you can't treat a stump/bole of a tree with roundup and eventually kill it, but it's not going to be very effective unless, in my opinion, in great quantities. 2-4-D, garlon, arsenal (triclopyr or amazapyr) would probably be more effective.

Some trees are notoriously hard to kill. Girdling seems best and safest

[cwtebay]

https://youtube.com/shorts/AW8IYS9T12Q?si=u02NXMoCX2ijlzbd

Here's an interesting clandestine method for killing trees!

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[Skipper]

Try this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC8jnSaCqxY