From: T@invalid.invalid   
      
   On 7/11/19 7:18 PM, songbird wrote:   
   > T wrote:   
   >> Hi All,   
   >>   
   >> Okay, I know a bit misleading subject line, but ...   
   >> You were thinking back hoe, dynamite, swearing, etc..   
   >>   
   >> I have little trees growing all over the place.  I think they   
   >> are either cotton wood or some kind of aspen.   The have very   
   >> long tap roots.  If I pull them when the are 6" tall, I can get   
   >> the 10" tap root too and that is the end of them.   
   >>   
   >> BUT, if they get any bigger , I can not get the tap root out   
   >> and they keep growing back and back and back.   I have   
   >> tried cutting them flush to the ground.   I have tried   
   >> stripping all the bark and leaves off.   And they adore   
   >> vinegar.  They keep coming back and back and back.   
   >>   
   >> So I have a bunch of little 1/4" to 1/2" stumps that   
   >> keep regrowing.  How do I kill off these stumps.  (I do   
   >> not want to use roundup do to my wife's chemical   
   >> sensitivities.)   Small firecracker?   
   >   
   >    you actually have more than one issue here, but   
   > the first part is solved by being consistent in your   
   > efforts and the second part is solved by improving   
   > your soil to the point where pulling a plant out   
   > will actually remove it.   
   >   
   >    the quickest way to get rid of them without pulling   
   > is to cover them with something so they won't get any   
   > light.  no plant will survive being consistently   
   > smothered.   
   >   
   >    so find some cardboard and put a few layers over the   
   > area you wish to clear.  after a few months they'll   
   > be dead if they are just starting out.  once they   
   > are established you have to cover them long enough   
   > that it exhausts the energy in the root system that   
   > remains.  the more you can cut off to keep the plant   
   > from getting energy to the roots for storage the   
   > sooner the roots will run out of energy.   
   >   
   >    the other harder approach is to continually cut any   
   > new growth off when it appears.  check often and keep   
   > cutting.  they will run out of energy eventually - you   
   > just have to be very determined.   
   >   
   >    as for the longest term approach, getting your soil   
   > improved to where you can pull things out easily, that's   
   > a lifetime effort in poor soils, but over the years it   
   > does improve.   
   >   
   >    we have many thousand small maple trees from this   
   > year's helicopters sprouting all over the place,   
   > gradually we'll get them all pulled.  they are free   
   > worm food like any other organic material we can grow   
   > and then leave on the ground for the worms to feast   
   > on...   
   >   
   >   
   >    songbird   
   >   
      
   Me thinks I will try you method with cardboard and   
   a big rock on top.  Thank you!   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)