Thinning excessive and invasive trees is a good way to improve the distribution of desired species of trees while reducing competition and stress that can lead to insect infestation and disease in overcrowded forest settings.
When you decide on thinning crowded, overgrown trees, you take an important step toward creating and maintaining a successful natural forest structure.
But what is the best way to kill unwanted trees quickly?
One of the simplest and most time and labor-efficient methods involves simply making cuts into the bark of unwanted trees and filling the cuts with tree-killing herbicide.
Tordon is widely touted as the most popular and most effective of these sorts of products. This simple method of tree-killing will usually kill a tree in under a month.
Will The “Hack & Squirt” Method Of Tree Killing Work On All Trees?
This is a good method for mid-sized trees. For trees smaller than 4’ feet high, you might just want to use a spray-on herbicide such as Roundup. For very large trees, chop the tree down and treat the stump with Tordon or a similar product.
Be advised that very large, well-established trees may come back from the roots in a nearby location. This is also true of many types of so-called “trash trees” that spread quickly through shallow, traveling roots or massive amounts of flying seed.
If you end up with weed trees popping up around the area where the initial unwanted tree once stood, you may need to come back with an herbicide treatment to do away with them before they get too big.
What If Unwanted Trees Grow Back From The Stump?
This is why treating large tree stumps within a half hour of cutting down the offending tree is important.
Although common trees, such as maple, oak, and pine, don’t typically grow back from the stump, aggressively growing invasive trees will.
If you cannot treat a tree stump with Tordon immediately and shoots begin to form, use Tordon or Roundup to deal with them, and make plans to remove the stump.
When Should You Call A Professional To Kill A Tree?
There are a lot of factors to consider when determining whether you should remove your tree(s) yourself or call in a professional.
Generally speaking, doing it yourself is probably a good option if you have a lot of little trash trees. Just be sure to wear proper protective gear when handling herbicides.
If you have a few trees over four feet high, doing it yourself probably won’t be especially dangerous or time-consuming, and you shouldn‘t need specialized equipment.
If you have a huge tree to remove, you are better off hiring a professional to take care of it for you.
Removing a big tree can be very time-consuming and very dangerous. To do it right, you need exactly the right equipment and techniques.
When you hire a professional to remove a large tree, you can be sure of having some guarantee of success and follow-up.
You won’t have to deal with tree removal on your own. You won’t risk personal injury, and if something goes wrong, it won’t be your insurance that has to cover it!
Just be sure that the person you hire is a qualified, licensed professional with good references and is properly insured.
Why Would You Want To Kill Trees Fast?
An untouched acre of woodland may have over 10,000 little seedlings in the springtime. Under ideal climate and cultural circumstances, these little trees will naturally thin to a hundred or less with time.
Variables, such as longer growing seasons, the introduction of invasive tree species, imbalance in native fauna, and more, can impact the natural order of things, resulting in an overgrown, overcrowded, unhealthy stand of trees.
When you make good decisions about which trees to keep and which to thin, the result is a healthy, balanced, usable, and attractive woodland setting. Follow the advice presented here to safely and easily thin unwanted trees.
