We have an acre lot in west central Florida and palmettos are the norm
just about everywhere. I have dug up some 'infestations' and they
never come back but you have to dig them out completely. A few places
in our lot the palmettos have sprung up at the base of nice southern
pine trees. We have a weed whacker with a brush attachment blade and
we can hack 'em down to the ground which we do... several times a
month. What we were wondering is if there is anything we can do to
exterminate the palmettos without harming the pine trees? We were
half way tempted to cut them down and then pour weed/brush killer in
the cut trunks/stems, trying to be careful not to spill it all in the
ground at the pine tree roots.

Anyone got any suggestions short of napalm or bulldozers????

Thanks!

On 20 Jun, 17:02, infiniteMPG wrote:
We have an acre lot in west central Florida and palmettos are the norm
just about everywhere. *I have dug up some 'infestations' and they
never come back but you have to dig them out completely. *A few places
in our lot the palmettos have sprung up at the base of nice southern
pine trees. *We have a weed whacker with a brush attachment blade and
we can hack 'em down to the ground which we do... several times a
month. *What we were wondering is if there is anything we can do to
exterminate the palmettos without harming the pine trees? *We were
half way tempted to cut them down and then pour weed/brush killer in
the cut trunks/stems, trying to be careful not to spill it all in the
ground at the pine tree roots.

Anyone got any suggestions short of napalm or bulldozers????

Thanks!

Yes, take a pair of vice grips, clasp the very center new leaf coming
from the truck with them. pull straight out. You are injuring the
heart. Injure the heart of a palm, it dies.

infiniteMPG wrote:


Anyone got any suggestions short of napalm or bulldozers????


Digging them is the only really safe method I can think of. Sahara will
probably work as will diesel oil.

On Jun 22, 7:39*am, Paul Cassel
wrote:
infiniteMPG wrote:

Anyone got any suggestions short of napalm or bulldozers????

Digging them is the only really safe method I can think of. Sahara will
probably work as will diesel oil.

A weed wrench, large weed popper or puller will allow you to extract
the entire plant. Several sizes of various weed pullers are available
depending on the size of your palmettos.

See a comprehensive chart and description of all sizes and types of
weeding tools at ergonica.com/weeder_features.htm .

Chemicals and muscles optional...

Paul Cassel wrote:
infiniteMPG wrote:


Anyone got any suggestions short of napalm or bulldozers????


Digging them is the only really safe method I can think of. Sahara will
probably work as will diesel oil.


Make hearts of palm salad?

Bob

Digging them is the only really safe method I can think of. Sahara will probably work as will diesel oil.
A weed wrench, large weed popper or puller will allow you to extract the entire plant. *Several sizes of various weed pullers are available depending on the size of your palmettos.

Would do this except the ones in question are growing all up thru the
roots of large southern pines. There is no way to pull them up as
they are completely intertwined with the pine tree roots. I can try
pulling up the hearts but prior to cutting down to the ground, some of
these palmettos were about the size of a decent sized VW beetle :O/

Anything like "stump killer" or anything that can be pour carefully
into this heart and kill the palmetto without seeping into the
surrounding ground and harming the pine trees?

On Jun 24, 6:50*am, infiniteMPG wrote:
Digging them is the only really safe method I can think of. Sahara will probably work as will diesel oil.
A weed wrench, large weed popper or puller will allow you to extract the entire plant. *Several sizes of various weed pullers are available depending on the size of your palmettos.

Would do this except the ones in question are growing all up thru the
roots of large southern pines. *There is no way to pull them up as
they are completely intertwined with the pine tree roots. *I can try
pulling up the hearts but prior to cutting down to the ground, some of
these palmettos were about the size of a decent sized VW beetle *:O/

Anything like "stump killer" or anything that can be pour carefully
into this heart and kill the palmetto without seeping into the
surrounding ground and harming the pine trees?

Earth augers of various sizes and diameters can be used to drill
several feet into the roots or hearts of the palmettos. You can
probably rent some of these machines at a Home Depot to see if they
will help. They come with gasoline motors and are designed for
digging holes for fence posts and similar projects in construction.

Earth augers of various sizes and diameters can be used to drill several feet into the roots or hearts of the palmettos. *You can probably rent some of these machines at a Home Depot to see if they will help. *They come with gasoline motors and are designed for digging holes for fence posts and similar projects in construction.

Drills make holes in straight lines. Palmettos grow like spaghetti
around the roots of other trees. I doubt I can do much to the
palmetto without drilling up the roots of the pine trees they're
growing at the bases of probably killing the pine tree and the
palmettos will survive.

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I guess my question is as stated in the previous reply.... Can I maybe
drill out the top of the heart of each stalk and pour a small amount
of brush killer into the hole and kill that plant without killing the
tree it's growing around????
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