Q&A for How to Kill Tree Roots

Return to Full Article

Coming soon

Add New Question

Question

How do I kill baby oak trees and not harm the soil?

Andrew Carberry, MPH
Food Systems Expert
Andrew Carberry is a Food Systems Expert and the Senior Program Associate at the Wallace Center at Winrock International in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has worked in food systems since 2008 and has experience working on farm-to-school projects, food safety programs, and working with local and state coalitions in Arkansas. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and holds a Masters degree in public health and nutrition from the University of Tennessee.

Andrew Carberry, MPH

Food Systems Expert

Expert Answer

For young trees, you can cut them down and dig out the root system. If the roots are too developed to dig out, you can cut down any new growth until it stops coming up.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 12 Helpful 7
Question

How do I kill a black walnut tree root?

Community Answer

Any of the standard methods described here should work. Black walnut roots are toxic to other plants, and can continue to damage many other plants for months or years after the tree is killed. Digging up every root is nearly impossible, so consider planting tolerant species, or growing affected species in containers.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 5 Helpful 10
Question

How do I prevent small trees and their roots from growing into a chain link fence?

Community Answer

If the tree is close enough to grow against the fence, there is no way to keep them apart without permanently removing one or the other. Killing roots that close to the tree will likely cause the whole tree to die. If the tree is encroaching from another property, that property's owner is usually legally responsible for addressing the issue.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 21 Helpful 23
Question

How can you remove a tree root from a burial plot?

Community Answer

If you only want to kill the root, dig in an adjacent location and sever the root at a position before it enters the plot. For a more permanent solution, kill the whole tree by applying herbicide to the stump or exposed trunk.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 10 Helpful 11
Question

How do I eliminate tree roots that are buckling a brick path?

Community Answer

Try to move the bricks and as much of the stump as you can, and then use hedge clippers.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 14 Helpful 15
Question

How to kill tree roots under houses?

Community Answer

Cut the roots and install a root barrier as described above. Roots rarely cause significant damage to foundations, but if it seems like large roots have penetrated, hire someone to check for issues.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 5 Helpful 12
Question

Will using salt to kill tree roots kill our grass?

Community Answer

Yes, salt will kill the grass and other vegetation in the area. Use an herbicide that doesn't "flash back" to other plants instead, such as glysophate.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 15 Helpful 16
Question

If a tree were killed this way, would it appear to die naturally? Also, is there some way to test the soil around the roots for chemicals after this method is used?

Community Answer

If you carefully drill small holes randomly around the tree at different heights, then fill the holes with herbicide, it will look like a natural tree death. This method works when a homeowner association won't let you remove a tree you don't like.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 8 Helpful 30
Question

I have a cottonwood tree sapling growing right next to my lavender bush. I have cut the sapling down to the root but it keeps coming back. How can I kill the sapling without harming my lavender bush?

Community Answer

Cut ithe tree down in January. When spring arrives, the sap will flow up frtom the roots and the tree will die. Some poplar roots are fairly near the surface and they can travel a long way fast so do your best to remove those roots that have travelled a long distance or a new tree may spring up somewhere else. My poplar roots here are a yellow color and very flexible so some roots may pull up in a long strip. Drill big holes in the stumpand put epson salt crystals in the holes which will dry out the stump and make it easier to dig out or help it decompose naturally.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 3 Helpful 1