hello,
I am currently working to try to eliminate box elder saplings which are about maby 2 inches in diameter or better, so that I can plant some sugar maple saplings, which I still have to find and get ordered, but anyway I know from past experience that box elder's "regrow" or "replant" themselves the same or next year after cutting them down. and I was wondering if their was something out their that you might be able to put on the so called stump which would kill it, that would be safe for the sugar maple saplings to be planted near by without the poison or whatever it may be harming those little trees, any ideas would be much appreciated thanks :)
I think there are painted-on herbicides, something like Roundup, that are painted on the stumps.
I would use Garlon 4 if you can get it, but you may need an applicators license in your state.
I use tordon RTU. I didn't have to have a applicators license to buy it a couple of years ago.
I use Garlon, as WDH mentioned, for painting stumps, but you can get the same effect by painting them with undiluted Roundup. Look for the stuff that's 41% glyphosate (the active ingredient). You can save some money by buying a generic brand of Roundup - any herbicide that contains glyphosate will work.
Can't buy any of those chemicals here full strength without an applicators license. Roundup is only sold in dilute form in hardware, for about $15 a litre. ::) :o
Tordon is best, but it is soil active and can damage other trees through root contact. Round-up and Garlon are not soil active and pose less risk to surrounding vegetation.
Garlon4 is tryclopir (sp) I believe. It does not translocate and is highly effective. Also somewhat expensive.
would these be harmful to the maple seedlings that I would be planting the same year after I applied the chemicals ( this year ) thanks all for the information :)
If you use round-up or Garlon, you should be OK.