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How to Remove Cherry Tree Roots
How to Remove Cherry Tree Roots. Cherry trees are extremely resilient trees, which make them an ideal choice for many home fruit growers. However, if you are trying to get rid of your cherry tree, this resilience can be a real hassle. Even if you cut back the whole tree, the roots themselves can stay active for years, producing new shrubs and...
Cherry trees are extremely resilient trees, which make them an ideal choice for many home fruit growers. However, if you are trying to get rid of your cherry tree, this resilience can be a real hassle. Even if you cut back the whole tree, the roots themselves can stay active for years, producing new shrubs and growth every year to try to help the tree recover. The only way to completely stop cherry tree growth is to remove all of the roots from your entire garden.
Things You'll Need
Shovel or spade
Herbicides
Tarp
Weight stones
Dig out the area around the cherry tree roots to expose as much of the surface of the roots as possible. Exposing the roots makes them easier to remove, and also helps you know how much work you have to do.
Break into the bark on the roots with a sharp shovel or spade. Make multiple cuts all along the length of the roots to expose the inner sensitive tissue.
Spray the root system with glyphosate or a similar tree-killing herbicide. Coat all of the surfaces of all of the roots with this herbicide; it will flow into the open wounds you created on the roots to eat away at the healthy tissue, essentially killing the roots.
Cover the root system with a black plastic tarp to prevent the roots from receiving any water. Weigh down the edges of the tarp with bricks or stones to prevent it from blowing away. This will ensure that the rain doesn't wash away the poison.
Repeat herbicide application after seven days. When you do so, inspect the roots and use your sharp spade or shovel to remove any dead areas that have shriveled up or detached from the ground.
Remove the tree roots as they gradually die by digging them up and cutting them out. Repeat spraying and cutting away the roots until you have removed them all.
Tips & Warnings
If your roots are attached to a stump left over from cutting back the tree, consider renting a stump grinder, available from hardware stores and tool rental shops. Grind as much of the stump and the roots to dust as possible, then wash away or vacuum up the dust.
Herbicides can harm animals and humans, as well as other desirable plants. Keep pets and children away from the treated tree roots. Spray the herbicides only on the tree roots; avoid getting them onto any healthy plants, including grass.
