Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Kill Cactus Roots
How to Kill Cactus Roots. Cacti are classified as succulents because of water-storing stems that aid their survival in dry, hot regions. While some people grow cactus gardens intentionally, not everyone enjoys these prickly characters. In many areas, wild cactus can overtake an area and become hard to control. Part of the problem is that the root...
Cacti are classified as succulents because of water-storing stems that aid their survival in dry, hot regions. While some people grow cactus gardens intentionally, not everyone enjoys these prickly characters. In many areas, wild cactus can overtake an area and become hard to control. Part of the problem is that the root system survives even when the above-ground portion of the plant is destroyed. Permanent removal of a cactus requires an application of chemicals that seep down and kill the root system.
Things You'll Need
Backpack sprayer or hand-held sprayer
Herbicide containing picloram
Non-ionic surfactant or liquid dish soap
Liquid spray marking dye
Work gloves
Step 1
Fill a backpack sprayer or a hand-held garden sprayer with an herbicide with the main active ingredient picloram. Mix the herbicide with cold water to create a 1 percent solution. For a 3-gallon sprayer, add 3 gallons water and 4 ounces of herbicide.
Step 2
Add 1 ounce of a non-ionic surfactant to the tank. This is available in the weed control aisle of many hardware stores and garden centers. If desired, liquid dish soap can be substituted for the surfactant. Surfactants help the herbicide stick to the cactus better.
Step 3
Add 1 to 2 ounces of a spray marking dye to the sprayer. This colors the spray so you can easily determine where you've sprayed and when the cactus has been completely saturated.
Step 4
Close the sprayer and rock it back and forth gently to mix the solution. Don't shake it; bubbles will form and you'll have to wait to spray.
Step 5
Spray all surfaces of the above-ground portion of the cactus plant until they are completely covered in dye, but not so the spray drips or runs down the plant.
Step 6
Wait until the cactus is completely dead and brown. Your herbicide's label should note how long this may take, but some cacti take one to two years to die. When the cactus is brown, cut off the top portion with a knife. Wearing work gloves, dispose of the plant in the trash.
