Need serious help!

[vette-kid]

I posted about this a while back but didn't find a good resolution. The runners got so bad that our hoa threatened to fine us. So we paid someone to clean the flower beds for us. Not even 2 weeks later and they are coming back in force. I am DONE with this tree. Problem is the hoa doesn't seem to want to let me get rid of it. It's surrounded on 3 sides by concrete and is cracking the drive, the sidewalk and I'm worried about the foundation. It's also choking pretty much anything else i try to grow in there.

I'm seriously close to the point of using acid or salt to just kill the darn thing. I need to at least control the runners so I don't get fined while I try to get them to reason with me on taking it down.

Round up does nothing for it at all. Tried various other wed killers to no avail. They has GOT to be something that will keep this at bay!

 

[Beverly]

What kind of tree/plant are you talking about?

 

[vette-kid]

The runners are from a live oak. There is also a sago palm nearby that I like but I'll risk killing it if need be.

I should add that concrete is within 5 feet on 3 sides. Terrible location for such a big tree.

 

[Silentrunning]

What kind of tree/plant are you talking about?

Those look like Ixora leaves but I can't be sure. I can't imagine someone having trouble with an Ixora.

 

[vette-kid]

No way. If it is you can have it all, just come get it! It is runners from the oak tree. Extremely hard to kill and impossible to pull up.

 

[roadrunner]

The only thing I can think of is to girdle the tree very close to the base so it's not so obvious, which should kill the tree, then the HOA will want it removed.

 

[Chuck]

I feel your pain but not as bad because I don't have a HOA.
You will have to be sneaky and take a little time but it will work in killing the tree and all those nasty sprouts. Get one of these products: GRAZON, CROSSBOW, GARLON, REDEEM, ACCESS. These are product names that have Triclopyr as the main active ingredient.
Spray the sprouts first. Wait about 2 weeks and mow them down. Immediately after mowing rake up the debris and spray the stumps. You may have to do this a few times but it will work. The big tree will also be poisoned but it will take longer for it to show symptoms. Or you could spray the tree but then you would be caught by the HOA and you would probably cause damage to other plants next door as this stuff kills everything and is not selective like Roundup. It would be so much easier if the HOA would just let you remove the tree.

 

[MaryMary]

The big tree will also be poisoned but it will take longer for it to show symptoms. Or you could spray the tree but then you would be caught by the HOA

The poison will go up through the runners to kill the tree? If he sprays the tree directly, it would show? (As a color? Or an oily coating?)

What if he just pushed in a funnel at the roots, and poured in a very small amount? It would kill the surrounding plants?

 

[Chuck]

The poison will go up through the runners to kill the tree? If he sprays the tree directly, it would show? (As a color? Or an oily coating?)

What if he just pushed in a funnel at the roots, and poured in a very small amount? It would kill the surrounding plants?

Yep, triclopyr is a strong non-selective systemic poison. It is absorbed through foliage and the vascular system of plants. When applied to a fresh cut it goes into the roots and then into the foliage. When applied to foliage it goes from there into the roots. If the OP sprayed the trees foliage the HOA would know very soon what he did. By applying to the cut sprouts the time involved before the tree shows signs of something being wrong is much slower. In other words the tree will suffer a lingering death instead of a quick merciful one. If he sprayed the tree the leaves would turn brown and not fall off and it would happen fairly quickly. And if there were any over spray or a breeze adious to whatever it touched. Grazon and Garlon is what the power companies and cities use to clear right of ways and ditches.

 

[MaryMary]

It is absorbed through foliage and the vascular system of plants.

( Just so I have it right...) If sprayed on the bark or poured at the roots, it would have no effect? Because it only goes through the leaves, or is introduced by a cut?

 

[Chuck]

( Just so I have it right...) If sprayed on the bark or poured at the roots, it would have no effect? Because it only goes through the leaves, or is introduced by a cut?

Correct and think about this. Where would you pour the stuff? You can't tell where underground roots are. There is another way to do this though and not get caught. You could dig away the dirt from the root flare and drill holes in the once covered large roots. Fill up the holes with the poison, plug up the holes with chewing gum and then recover with soil. Then in a day or two remove the dirt again, take off the gum and refill with the poison. This would be a faster way to kill the tree but still to the uninformed it would look like a disease had attacked the tree. A much slower and less dangerous effect than spraying the foliage.

 

[vette-kid]

Thanks chuck. Great info. I kind of hate going that route but they are just unreasonable at this point. I do have a few roots that have pushed to the surface at the edge of pavement. So I can apply some there. I am for sure going to start spaying the runners. I'll try to use caution around the sago, but it can be replaced.

Just to be clear, this will not permanently taint the soil? I will be able to replant there later?

 

[Chuck]

Thanks chuck. Great info. I kind of hate going that route but they are just unreasonable at this point. I do have a few roots that have pushed to the surface at the edge of pavement. So I can apply some there. I am for sure going to start spaying the runners. I'll try to use caution around the sago, but it can be replaced.

Just to be clear, this will not permanently taint the soil? I will be able to replant there later?

Yes, it will mess up the soil for awhile. It has a half-life of between 30-90 days. But if it doesn't touch the soil it's 0 days. If for instance you mowed the sprouts and then used a paint brush or some sort of eye dropper to apply to the cut only, the soil would not be affected. The same if applied to a drilled hole. It has to actually be in the soil.

 

[vette-kid]

90 days isn't bad. I can deal worth that if some gets into the soil. The runners ate prolific so I fear the only way to get at them is to spray a bit. I'll see what I can find today. If I take the tree down (dead or alive )the sago will have to go anyway. I do have canna's about 10 feet from where the worst of it is. I'm hoping I don't have to apply any there and the rubbers that go that way will die off. Is 10ft far enough to not affect them if it gets in the soil?

 

[MaryMary]

Correct and think about this. Where would you pour the stuff? You can't tell where underground roots are.

Sometimes you can see the roots...

I do have a few roots that have pushed to the surface at the edge of pavement. So I can apply some there.

@Chuck, I'm thinking these are exaggerated pictures of what is happening at vette-kid's.
I can see roots to pour it on... But, those roots would need to be cut to allow the poison into the system?

Something like this would work? .

As another example, there are roots like this in my yard from a maple tree. I can see where the roots are. It won't work to pour it on there? (A couple of the roots get nicked every time the lawn gets mowed. I would have to apply it to the nicked parts of root?)