Invasive species dilemma

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

In my woods I have a number of invasive species I'd like to eliminate. I've cut the ones I could, but a few remain that are out of my league, felling-wise. Trees of heaven, Norway maple, etc.

I'd like to use an herbicide that can apply to the trunk to eliminate them. I think I've read about chopping into the trunk with a hatchet, then spraying. Once they are killed, nature can take it's course, no harm done.

If I had my choice, I'd use an herbicide available to homeowners, from hd or Lowe's.

Any suggestions of what to use would be appreciated.

 

[Corey]

I suspect by the time you use enough herbicide to kill a full grown tree, you're going to have quite a dead zone around the base. You can 'girdle' the tree (google or wiki that) and it will die. No herbicide required. The downside - if you ever expect to spend any time in that area of the woods in the future - would be that you then have a standing dead tree which will drop branches and/or crash to the ground at some point... hopefully not while you're working nearby.

 

[sportbikerider78]

I suspect by the time you use enough herbicide to kill a full grown tree, you're going to have quite a dead zone around the base. You can 'girdle' the tree (google or wiki that) and it will die. No herbicide required. The downside - if you ever expect to spend any time in that area of the woods in the future - would be that you then have a standing dead tree which will drop branches and/or crash to the ground at some point... hopefully not while you're working nearby.

I did that exact process to about 15 oaks and maple around my house. They are still alive 3 years later. Amazing.

It might sound primative, but I have found that with 100% of the trees around where i have a brush fire, they all die. The heat kills them. Bark falls off and tree rots.

 

[semipro]

I did that exact process to about 15 oaks and maple around my house. They are still alive 3 years later. Amazing.

It might sound primative, but I have found that with 100% of the trees around where i have a brush fire, they all die. The heat kills them. Bark falls off and tree rots.

I'd guess you're not cutting deeply enough. Girdling cuts off the flow of water and nutrients from the roots - should be a sure thing.