Black Walnut Juglone As A Root Killer??

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eclecticcottage

eclecticcottage

Minister of Fire
Dec 7, 2011
1,803
WNY
So the short verion is:

We have septic. We have roots invading the lines. They seem to belong to a (I believe) Silver Maple which is not ours and is not an option to remove. I don't want to use chemicals every few months to kill the roots since then we will probably be killing the bacteria we need in the system. I also don't want to be snaking the lines every year (or more). Fighting nature is a losing battle sometimes.

We have, at our Old House (now a rental) a large black walnut. I know about the juglone they produce and that Silver Maples are effected by it.

The question:
Can I make a few batches of liquid juglone (soak leaves or nuts in water I presume) to dump into the lines a couple times a year to kill the roots but not the tree, thus keeping peace with nature and the neighbors while allowing our leach field to do it's job without renting a snake all the time.

I know it's just theory...but...what are y'alls thoughts? It seems to me that since juglone doesn't travel far into the soil and doesn't kill everything it could work for this.
 
eclecticcottage said:
So the short verion is:

We have septic. We have roots invading the lines. They seem to belong to a (I believe) Silver Maple which is not ours and is not an option to remove. I don't want to use chemicals every few months to kill the roots since then we will probably be killing the bacteria we need in the system. I also don't want to be snaking the lines every year (or more). Fighting nature is a losing battle sometimes.

We have, at our Old House (now a rental) a large black walnut. I know about the juglone they produce and that Silver Maples are effected by it.

The question:
Can I make a few batches of liquid juglone (soak leaves or nuts in water I presume) to dump into the lines a couple times a year to kill the roots but not the tree, thus keeping peace with nature and the neighbors while allowing our leach field to do it's job without renting a snake all the time.

I know it's just theory...but...what are y'alls thoughts? It seems to me that since juglone doesn't travel far into the soil and doesn't kill everything it could work for this.
Click to expand...
Are the roots affecting the drain field lines or the transfer lines (that is, are you talking upstream or downstream of the tank?).
 
Drain field (downstream). They have been snaked, copper sulfated and or pipelines removed and replaced for the worst of it. Now it's a matter of keeping THAT from happening again, because I'm not a fan of the results. We're probably going to pick up a snake (the larger plumber sized version on the two wheel dolly, not the little hand held type) so we don't have to pay to have it done again, but I know the roots WILL be back. Trees are like that. Now it's a matter of how to keep them from taking over the place again. We could use rootx, copper, salt, etc etc etc, but I'm trying to think outside the bottle of chemicals (and the obvious mechanical removal as well).
 
My concern with introducing the juglone to the tank is that the anaerobic activities going on in there would break down the juglone.
I was wondering if you could introduce after the tank, perhaps to the field distribution box to avoid that.
The field is also very microbially active but roots would get a good dose before most juglone degradation would take place.

Great idea, the Juglone, BTW.
I also found somewhere that some maple species tolerate it. Hopefully Silver Maple does not.
 
Copper sulfate won't work against persistent roots. Roebic makes a foaming (to coat the pipes) root killer that is more effective. http://www.roebic.com/foaming-root-killer.shtml It's primary ingredient is dichlobenil which is commercially sold as Casoron. We have an elm tree whose roots are unstoppable. It constantly wants to get in our septic tank. I dig a trench at the inlet and outlet of the tank, about 6" deep and sprinkle Casoron in it. Then flood with water to help it soak in the ground, then refill the trenches. Repeat every 6-12 months.
 
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