Tree roots growing back - how to stop?
 

Hi,

I had a huge elm(?) tree in my backyard that was removed over a year
ago. Even after having someone do some grinding 18" down around the
main part of the stump, there are still a few places where the roots
are re-sprouting the tree.

The roots are several inches in diameter, and some are sticking up
from the ground. We keep cutting them off with an ax, but they keep
sprouting leaves!

I tried the stump remover where you drill a hole in the root and fill
it with the granules and hot water. That hasn't seem to work for all
of them.

Any ideas are appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

On 23 Sep 2004 11:20:36 -0700, (Laura) wrote:

Hi,

I had a huge elm(?) tree in my backyard that was removed over a year
ago. Even after having someone do some grinding 18" down

underground?

around the
main part

there are other parts?

of the stump, there are still a few places where the roots
are re-sprouting the tree.

The roots are several

like 3, or 8, or?

inches in diameter, and some are sticking up
from the ground.

huh? after stump ground 18" down?

We keep cutting them off with an ax, but they keep
sprouting leaves!

I tried the stump remover where you drill a hole in the root and fill
it with the granules and hot water. That hasn't seem to work for all
of them.

How can it work selectively, tho I can't tell the product as
described. Try 4 copper nails into the root.

Any ideas are appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Geographically where are you?

You sure it was an Elm? Not many left for years.

Why was the tree removed?

Not to be pushy...I do want to help.

-brad

Laura said:

I had a huge elm(?) tree in my backyard that was removed over a year
ago. Even after having someone do some grinding 18" down around the
main part of the stump, there are still a few places where the roots
are re-sprouting the tree.

I think that you must be talking about a white poplar, cottonwood or an
ailanthus (tree-of-heaven). Those are the only tree which can get pretty
huge that sprout so vigorously from the roots.

The roots are several inches in diameter, and some are sticking up
from the ground. We keep cutting them off with an ax, but they keep
sprouting leaves!

I tried the stump remover where you drill a hole in the root and fill
it with the granules and hot water. That hasn't seem to work for all
of them.

It will give up eventually if you are really persistant. You could try
carefully hand-applying Roundup (or its equivalent) to the sprouts as
they come up.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

It will give up eventually if you are really persistant. You could try
carefully hand-applying Roundup (or its equivalent) to the sprouts as
they come up.

When the roots of my neighbor's cottonwood (which was severely butchered
in a pruning) started doing that in my yard, heavy doses of Roundup did
nothing to them. I finally got sick, and just pulled the roots up all the
way back to the tree - the roots which were producing the suckers were small
and shallow, it wasn't that hard to do - and it took care of the problem.

steve

Get a dose or two of Pathfinder II. It will cure any and all suckers
and future root growth
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Thanks all - Here's a response to questions from Brad --

The tree was removed because it was diseased and a couple of large
branches had already fallen. The stump and surrounding area was
ground down about 18". This means that a circlular area maybe 12 feet
in diameter(?) was ground down.

The area outside of this still has roots because the tree was easily
at least 30' tall. So, the larger roots are sprouting tree suckers.
There are maybe 6 of them at this time.

Geographically I'm located in San Jose, California.

I hope this helps explain the situation.

-Laura