Killing tree stumps with acid
#1
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 982
Killing tree stumps with acid
I've had a couple of trees cut down, and the man who did the job advised me to treat the remaining stubs with hydrochloric acid sold in some shops (in Mercadona it's Salfuente) to kill the tree stumps.
I've carried out the treatment and been careful using it as I appreciate what it is, however what I want to know is, has this been a waste of time, will this product do as I've been told it will and if not has anyone a better solution (no pun intended!)?
In addition I had to have my palm tree cut down as it had been hit by the dreaded red weavil. I'm left with a small tree stump which looks quite attractive, but I don't want it to start growing again in any way. I know little or nothing about gardening, so my other question is, will this cut down palm tree start growing again even though it was effectively killed by the weavil and would the above treatment ensure it won't?
Thanks.
I've carried out the treatment and been careful using it as I appreciate what it is, however what I want to know is, has this been a waste of time, will this product do as I've been told it will and if not has anyone a better solution (no pun intended!)?
In addition I had to have my palm tree cut down as it had been hit by the dreaded red weavil. I'm left with a small tree stump which looks quite attractive, but I don't want it to start growing again in any way. I know little or nothing about gardening, so my other question is, will this cut down palm tree start growing again even though it was effectively killed by the weavil and would the above treatment ensure it won't?
Thanks.
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Beckenham, London borough Bromley
Posts: 1,617
Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
Hi
I dug out a palm tree which had died from the dreaded weavil and found grubs in the roots! You really do have to destroy the whole tree.
Davexf
I dug out a palm tree which had died from the dreaded weavil and found grubs in the roots! You really do have to destroy the whole tree.
Davexf
#3
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 982
Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
This stump, although not very high, is very wide and would take more time and expense I think to dig up completely. I certainly couldn't do it!
So, can I just kill it and the roots with something? Hope I can!
#4
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 269
Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
Thanks for that Dave. On the small stump I intended to place some decorative feature or pot for plants which I think would make quite a nice feature. Alternatively I'd build something around it to on which to place something.
This stump, although not very high, is very wide and would take more time and expense I think to dig up completely. I certainly couldn't do it!
So, can I just kill it and the roots with something? Hope I can!
This stump, although not very high, is very wide and would take more time and expense I think to dig up completely. I certainly couldn't do it!
So, can I just kill it and the roots with something? Hope I can!
#5
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 982
Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
As a matter of interest, why milk?
#6
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 269
Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
I do not know. It was a tip i was given years ago. I have used it and it works!
#8
Straw Man.
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: That, there, that's not my post count... nothing to see here, move along.
Posts: 46,302
#9
Just Joined
Joined: Sep 2012
Location: Coin (Rio Grande)
Posts: 13
Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
I was advised by one of my swedish friends that hammering in copper nails also kills trees/stumps?
Has anyone used this technique before?
Has anyone used this technique before?
#10
Straw Man.
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: That, there, that's not my post count... nothing to see here, move along.
Posts: 46,302
Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
Its a very slow way to kill a tree, many large oaks have copper nails in them from the 20's, I've found them when felling them. If the tree is less than a metre in diameter at a meter high then simply strip back the outer bark, leaving the cambium layer and paint on a strong solution of roundup. It will kill the tree.... although if the three is close to your house you might not actually want the tree dead....
#11
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 269
Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
I believe, hammering in copper nails will kill a tree; albeit not a stump as the sap will have returned to the roots and will therefore not carry the copper, in solution, throughout the stump as it would the tree.
#12
Straw Man.
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: That, there, that's not my post count... nothing to see here, move along.
Posts: 46,302
#13
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 269
Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
OK. I bow to your greater knowledge.
#14
Just Joined
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6
Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
Try substituting the milk with old engine oil.
#15
Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
I think I'd heard powdered milk as opposed to milk, though that was many moons ago and I know less than nothing about gardening really.