Wasn't sure weather to post here or in other. Have I lilac bush I want gone the problem is it's well established. Where it's at there is no room to get a truck or tractor in. I have been trying to dig it out , without success keep hitting rock and not small ones. Thinking about trying chemicals, but not sure what ones , there is a rhododendron close to it that I Don't want to kill. Thanks in advance for any advice.
Nate, cut the lilac down to the ground, and then drill a few holes and put straight nitrogen fertilizer on the stump. Your rhododendron will be safe. I've gotten rid of invasive trees and shrubs that way.
you can also try using a pickaxe or pry bar to work around those rocks while cutting through the roots with a sharp spade or loppers. It might take some effort, but this method usually works well over time
I have been working at , I managedI didn't relize there are multiple root balls , I managed to dig 3 out so far , it has been to hot to be outside this week 90+ and looking like the same for next week too
Nate77 it sound like a big job especially in the extreme heat . Over the years when a shrub became invasive which usually had roots entangled with other plants, I used a small chain saw - battery op and battery op clippers. Cut the shrub down as far to the ground as possible while exposing most of the roots as possible. Using a battery op drill - making several holes in the roots and trunks, apply ‘Horticulture Vinegar’ in the holes. Digging a trench around the root ball apply a container large enough to cover the entire root ball/trunk. In just a few weeks with no water, no sun , and no light the whole kit and caboodle dies, especially in hot summers. In most cases easy to extract from the ground by fall. Of course there are herbicides that work to by pouring undiluted amount into holes or use a paint brush on exposed areas. Not sure if the roots on the lilac are in contact with other plant roots if so don’t use Herbicides.
Only thing they would possibly be in contact with is a well established rhododendron. I do want to plant there eventually not sure what yet but not near that point yet
Cut down to small stump. Use SBK to rot and destroy the stump. Suckers will often sprout up so be prepared. Stump grinders can be hired, with/without operator, there are also grinding/cutting disks available for adding to power drills. Fresh ericaceous soil for rhodo planting.
Well I'm not the type of person who enjoys killing of any plant or tree. But in life I've come across 2 horrible instances, where someone tried to destroy someone else's tree out of animosity... Method 1 was use of acid. Either hydrochloric, or sulphuric, (car battery acid). Just pour it around the stem of the tree/plant, and it'll start to die very quickly. While the owner wasn't able to tell what was happening to his custard apple tree, (it was basically a fight between neighbors). Other method was introducing termites. Someone did that to destroy someone else's mango tree. By taking a small piece of termite infested wood, enclosed it in a clay ball, and stuck it on the bark of the tree. Both methods are pretty vengeful in nature. So I disapprove of them, (just because we hate someone, shouldn't mean that we start killing their plants and trees). But it is what I've seen people do in life several times...
