killing off a black willow

[Bill Loser]

So I am hoping I can get some good advice on this. I recently took down a big black willow in my yard. Its probably 3-4 foot in diameter at the base, Question is ,is how do I kill it off now? I don't want this thing sprouting new leads every year I want it gone. It is right next to a pond so I want to keep chemicals to a bear minimum. Would it work to paint the top, seal it of and let it dry out? Or am I better off getting someone in to grind the stump down below the ground level and cover it up? Any tips are greatly appreciated!

 

[Jim Timber]

Do you have a water softener by chance? Get some brine and pour it on the cambium a couple times a day for a week.

Otherwise, something like glyphosate and diesel would work too. Gly isn't active in soil, so there's minimal risk of leeching and other complications.

 

[Bill]

Jims right. I switched my softener to pump out side instead of going into my sump pump and killing it.

Every tree in the path of that flow is DEAD!

 

[Bill Loser]

I do have a softener. Now I'll just need to look up what a cambium is! Lol.
Thanks guys

 

[Jim Timber]

The cambium is the ring of "live" wood around the circumference of the tree - like the first 2" or less from the bark. It's where all the nutrients flow from the leaves to the roots and back. If you introduce salt to that network, it's like mainlining the tree with poison, but you didn't have to buy anything special. ;)

Won't take much either. Just get it wet a couple times a day like I said and your suckering will cease without any ill effects. She'll be toast.

 

[Tree Spud]

I have killed several large trees that like to sucker such as box elder by drilling into the large main root stems, just above the ground, and putting in undiluted glyphosate. Do it early in the spring when the nutrient flow is back up into the tree.

 

[Jim Timber]

I have killed several large trees that like to sucker such as box elder by drilling into the large main root stems, just above the ground, and putting in undiluted glyphosate. Do it early in the spring when the nutrient flow is back up into the tree.

Gly's a whole bunch more money than Solar salt at $4/50# bag. ;) And he's already got the brine.

 

[Tree Spud]

Gly's a whole bunch more money than Solar salt at $4/50# bag. ;) And he's already got the brine.

Gly goes for ~ $50 per 2.5 gal jug. That is about $0.16/oz.

I used about 10-12 oz per tree so about $1.50-$2.00 per tree.

 

[Jim Timber]

$5 bag of salt will kill hundreds if not thousands of trees. Just say'n.

To each their own.

 

[Tree Spud]

$5 bag of salt will kill hundreds if not thousands of trees. Just say'n.

To each their own.

Sounds like you agree with both the gly or salt method ... good to get your seal of approval ... always figure a good habitat dude has both on hand

 

[John-W-WI]

Sounds like the issue is solved (the salt application is new to me).

I have successfully killed trees with straight gly and a foam brush. Cut them off, "paint" the outer inch or two of the cut with gly and it's over. Doesn't take much either.

-John

 

[Jim Timber]

Gly kills trees dead, there's no disputing that. Just thinking outside the deer blinders to a solution (bad pun :D ) that doesn't require anything but a cup and a short walk to the yard.

Gly disrupts the tree's ability to process nutrients. Sodium chloride is just plain toxic to trees just like Borax is (another cheap tree killing agent).

You can use a precision rifle with a super high powered scope, custom match grade ammo, a lead sled, and decades of skill to shoot a fly off the target at 100yds, or you can walk up to it and whack it with your shoe - either way it's dead.

 

[Tree Spud]

Well I think best solution would be to drill down 4' at four points around the stump, drop a stick of dynamite in each.

Blow up the stump and expand your pond at the same time ... Win-Win.

 

[Bill Loser]

Tree spud wins! I wanted a bigger pond anyway!

 

[Jim Timber]

I'm not going to argue that one. lol Get video! :D