I have a small fruitless mulberry tree (I think!) on the other side of my alley fence that is right up against my gas pipeline! What can I use to kill the roots and not blow myself up!!!! Someone that works for the city said I could any type of motor oil. What do you think?
2007-02-12 10:47:29 · 17 answers · asked by squirrely 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
(Yes I really need to kill this tree. It's roots could bust my gas pipeline if they grow bigger. I'm sorry for all the tree lovers out there.)
2007-02-12 10:59:30 · update #1
First, do not use any oil, bleach, salt water, etc as all of these are a violation of federal law, EPA regulations, and/or state law. In the state I live in, that would carry a $5000 fine and whatever expense would be involved in removing all the contaminated soil, properly disposing of the contaminated soil, and restoration of the area.
Go to a reliable garden center, get their recommendations for the best herbicide to use and use it EXACTLY as the label directions tell you to use it.
2007-02-12 13:25:43 · answer #1 · answered by M. W 2 · 4⤊ 1⤋
You have to do it or eventually they'll get you. Look, we have more trees now than we did in the mid 1800s. If we hadn't been killing them all these years they would be growing right in the middle of our dens - heck, they'd be growing right through our computers. You should be glad that there are far-sighted people in the world who have taken up the challenge to battle and kill this insidious tree invasion. Without this brave cohort group we would not only be between a rock and a hard place but likely between two very closely growing trees. And, that wouldn't be good. Surely you can see that.
2016-05-24 02:36:20 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
mulberry trees are about the hardest tree to kill
some one from the city told you to use motor oil? that is illegal!!!
try peeling the bark all the way around the tree about an inch or two wide this will kill most trees
I don't know if it will work for a mulberry though it will probably start growing again from the root
If it does then I would have to suggest you ask someone at Lowe's or Home Depot or some similar garden place
Be sure to tell them it is a mulberry I hope for your sake it is not
2007-02-12 11:01:06 · answer #3 · answered by Josephus 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Motor oil will kill the soil , rendering it useless for about 10 to 25 yrs. Copper nails driven into the base of the root at its widest point will kill the bush.It will take a while but you'll be able to plant something there by the middle of summer if you wish. Other than that, the only other thing I know is to carefully remove it by hand
2007-02-12 13:17:24 · answer #4 · answered by Master Ang Gi Guong 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
if you use motor oil you will kill the tree, but you will contaminate the soil too... and nothing ever will grow in that spot again... it will kill everything.... ok here's the best way to do this....
you need to peel off the crust around the tree... one inch wide is enough, you could use some rope to do it with friction, or with a knife, or an axe..... this will be enough, the nutrients go up the tree thorugh the crust, so if you do this, the tree dies.... and you wont contaminate the yard.
2007-02-12 10:59:41 · answer #5 · answered by User 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Pour salt around the base of the tree, as far out as the branches go. I'm not talking about a pound of Morton's salt, I'm talking a couple of 50 lb. bags of rock salt. The rain will eventually cleanse your "pollution" naturally. Anything will die when it is exposed to that much salt. I once killed a large live oak in this manner.
2007-02-12 12:34:52 · answer #6 · answered by Don 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Oil or Diesel would kill it, but is highly polluting and not politically correct. Any number of herbicides should do the trick, like Round-Up Brush. Or just cut the tree close to the ground and kill off any shoots that come up.
2007-02-12 10:52:37 · answer #7 · answered by steve.c_50 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Trees are not endangered especialy on the east coast new England,I plan on killing at least 10 large trees in my back yard,oaks,pine and what ever else is getting to big.
2014-06-11 13:46:12 · answer #8 · answered by richard 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had to kill a few trees in my yard. I did it by drilling holes in the trunk and roots and pouring in bleach. You can also pour salt water in the holes.LOL I dont know if it will work,but after the flood the salt water killed everything green.
2007-02-12 11:02:37 · answer #9 · answered by pdudenhefer 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Round up is good. If you can chop the tree down to a stump, then drill a hole and pour the round up in, the place a pot plant on top of the stump. The dampness will prevent regrowth and cause the stump to rot away.
2007-02-12 11:37:10 · answer #10 · answered by nangari 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋