Die die die
August 3, 2010 6:19 AM Subscribe
How do I remove/kill forsythia roots to prepare for new planting?
Yesterday I had a crew remove/cut down about 60 feet of forsythia that had become completely overgrown with weeds, poison ivy, oak, etc. My plan is to replant the area with grass and a row of small evergreens. However, there are many, many small and medium-sized roots remaining in the plot. Removing them through spade work seems like a huge task because they run so deep and wide. Is there some way to kill them? I'm concerned that chemicals will kill anything else I try to grow there. Will covering the area with black plastic do any good? Mulch?
Yesterday I had a crew remove/cut down about 60 feet of forsythia that had become completely overgrown with weeds, poison ivy, oak, etc. My plan is to replant the area with grass and a row of small evergreens. However, there are many, many small and medium-sized roots remaining in the plot. Removing them through spade work seems like a huge task because they run so deep and wide. Is there some way to kill them? I'm concerned that chemicals will kill anything else I try to grow there. Will covering the area with black plastic do any good? Mulch?
I would leave a couple of leaves on each one and spray the leaves with Roundup. It doesn't remain in the soil, and should kill the plants so they don't come back.
posted by bolognius maximus at 9:38 AM on August 3, 2010
posted by bolognius maximus at 9:38 AM on August 3, 2010
I've never heard of boiling water. If that truly works, I wish I'd known about that five years ago. And I don't think Roundup will kill the shrub. I know they like to give that impression in their adverts, but, IME, many things grow back after wilting.
If you do try Roundup, there's no need to spend the money on the name brand Roundup stuff. All it is is glyphosate, and the patent for that expired a few years ago. I've seen "off brands" that had a higher concentration of glyphosate than the Roundup did, and yet the price was about half as much as for the same amount of Roundup (concentrate vs. concentrate).
I took out about 40-50 feet of these virtually indestructable shrubs, but it wasn't easy. The only way I got rid of mine was the old fashioned way using this that I bought at Ace HW.
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1274444&kw=pick+axe&origkw=pick+axe&searchId=49961041043
Forsythias seem to have a lot of horizontal roots branching out radially from the base of the shrub about four to six inches underground. The hoe like side of the above tool goes through those roots really well once you have the roots exposed. The pointed end is also nice for getting under the root ball and prying it up. Just don't force things.
I snapped two spades before I gave in and bought the above tool. I'm happy I did, though.
Good luck!
posted by InsertNiftyNameHere at 2:36 PM on August 3, 2010
If you do try Roundup, there's no need to spend the money on the name brand Roundup stuff. All it is is glyphosate, and the patent for that expired a few years ago. I've seen "off brands" that had a higher concentration of glyphosate than the Roundup did, and yet the price was about half as much as for the same amount of Roundup (concentrate vs. concentrate).
I took out about 40-50 feet of these virtually indestructable shrubs, but it wasn't easy. The only way I got rid of mine was the old fashioned way using this that I bought at Ace HW.
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1274444&kw=pick+axe&origkw=pick+axe&searchId=49961041043
Forsythias seem to have a lot of horizontal roots branching out radially from the base of the shrub about four to six inches underground. The hoe like side of the above tool goes through those roots really well once you have the roots exposed. The pointed end is also nice for getting under the root ball and prying it up. Just don't force things.
I snapped two spades before I gave in and bought the above tool. I'm happy I did, though.
Good luck!
posted by InsertNiftyNameHere at 2:36 PM on August 3, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by cda at 7:14 AM on August 3, 2010