POISONING TREES?

[Missinsi]

Where I live the wet climate means that trees spring up very easily in the hedges around the fields and in no time start blocking the view. It is pointless to cut them as the particular variety just puts out ten times as many new branches the next year. Does anyone know of a poison brand-name that I can pour at the base of the trunk to kill the roots? Also, someone mentioned salt to me, is that really efficatious?

[Ralph]

Although it's very un-green and probably illegal, a bit of diesel will kill off most or all plants.

[Missinsi]

Thanks Ralph, Only thing is, it sounds as though it may kill all the other plants around it and open a visable looking gap in the hedge. Love to hear more about that though, i.e. could I pour it through a pipe shoved into the ground? I was hoping for a solution that would kill just the tree roots but not the grass and other plants on the surface. Missinsi. :-)

[Missinsi]

PS: Found this on the Web: 15/04/2004 10:54 AM - (SA) ~Cowardly tree poisoning angers neighbours~ �This kind of cowardly, underhanded behaviour is not something we expect from residents in Vermont,� said a furious Pierre Joubert after someone poisoned his neighbour's newly planted trees under the cover of darkness last week. When the wooden house on the corner of Alikreukel and Kandelaar Sts was being built there was bitter controversy about the materials used and Joubert was one of the neighbours to take round a petition to try to stop the construction. But last week, someone avenged him or herself on the newly planted trees by pouring diesel around them to poison the roots."

[New Forester]

Where are you, Missinsi? Field hedges (at least in the UK) are generally made largely of tree species, kept small by regular trimming. I don't think poisoning odd plants is going to do much good, as there will always be more trees waiting to grow. The best thing to do is trim the hedge properly every year or so -- either in the modern conventional manner with a tractor flail, or in the traditional manner by laying it. Trimming with a flail is best done to an "A" section, wider at the base and narrow at the top. This prevents the hedge becoming leggy at the bottom and congested at the top. Laying can be done every four or five years, with flailing or other trimming in between. To lay, you let the hedge grow up for a couple of years, then thin heavily, taking out the thickest and most twisted stems completely. The straight stems you lay, weaving between wooden stakes made from the discarded stems and hammered into the hedge. Each of the retained stems is cut nearly through at the base with an angled billhook or axe cut, then hinged down away from the cut. It will grow in this position, making a thick solid hedge. Field hedges should really only be cut in the autumn and winter. Cont....

[New Forester]

....cont. If you cut a tree out of a hedge, the regrowth should not be a problem -- you can trim it together with the other shrubs and trees. In fact you can coppice a whole derelict hedge like this. You could also make pollards or stubbs from existing larger trees. This is when you cut the tree through above head height (pollard), or at about waist height (stubb). They regrow and are cut again every ten years or so, and eventually they make a massive, stumpy tree which can be very long-lived. If you really must get rid of a particular tree altogether, cut it, then immediately (within minutes) put a little woody-plant systemic herbicide on the cut surface, or even into holes drilled in the stump. Diesel is not the thing. Another thing to remember in the UK is the Hedgerow Regulations. These require you to consult the planning authority before removing or making gaps in a field hedge. They do allow you to cut hedges to maintain them. Of course, if it was not your own hedge, you'd leave it completely alone and talk to the owner instead....

[Missinsi]

If only New Forester! The problem is that the tenant farmer wants the trees to grow in the hedgerows which he now refuses to cut. So any ridding of these new trees has to be done clandestinely. This tree in question is about three years old and I did cut it down but of course it will grow even worse next year. I presume that the roots are quite widespread by now. If I allow it to grow then I will lose the view from my window. I do hope that you could give me some very good advice to prevent young trees. From a green perspective I have allowed most the garden area to go wild for wildlife and have stopped all cutting on the long lane up to the house. So it is only one small area I wish to keep clear, but it has to be done in such a way as to show no evidence of preventive activity. Please help! Regards, missinsi. :-)

[dorset 1954]

A colleague once told me that, as a small boy, growing up in Sri Lanka, he would make a small hole in the trunk of a tree, into which he would instill some mercury. He said the trees died rapidly. Mercury is not readily available nowadays, cannot be ethical/legal and might be a tad hazardous to your health. This guy is in his 70's and looks well.

[flirty41]

My friend was talking to me yesterday about trying to kill off her neighbour's leylandi hedge! She mentioned banging copper nails into the trunks! I'm not sure if this works or not but she seemed convinced!

[New Forester]

I think you're stuffed, unless you can persuade the farmer. They are his trees, after all -- in fact what you're suggesting is technically criminal damage. I'd be pretty cross if someone started messing around with my trees -- wouldn't you? You could try talking to his landlord. The tenant will have an obligation to maintain hedges and fences, unless it's the landlord's direct responsibility anyway.

[Drewhound]

Your're stuffed seems to be about it. He is going to notice if they die off and be pretty fed up. Copper nails won't work, it's a great old wives tale but I wish it was that easy, it isn't