How to Kill Evergreen Trees

eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.

Things You'll Need

  • Rock salt

  • Saw or ax

  • Chainsaw

  • Stump killer

  • Water

  • Fertilizer

Evergreen trees stay green throughout the year.

Evergreen trees are a type of tree that keeps its green leaves or needles all year long. If you have an evergreen that you want to be rid of, you can remove it in several ways. Large trees must be cut down, but you will still need to deal with the trunk. Seedlings and smaller trees can be removed from the ground with a shovel, but the roots are sometimes difficult and hold the tree down. Killing the tree first might help in weakening the roots, which helps remove the smaller trees, as well as the stumps from larger ones.

Advertisement

Step 1

Pour a large amount of rock salt around the base of the tree if you do not want to have anything grow in the area for awhile. Salt will kill vegetation and even evergreen trees, but it also makes the soil uninhabitable. Apply it with this in mind. Depending on the size of the tree, you might need anywhere from 1/2 cup to several cups of salt.

Video of the Day

Step 2

Make a large cut in the tree near the ground level and wait. This will take a bit of time and patience, and it still might not work. What you are hoping for is that a fungus will find its way in through the cut and slowly kill the tree.

Step 3

Cut the tree down with a chainsaw or ax. Once it's down, kill the stump. Many trees can sprout new growth from the trunk because the trunk doesn't always die just because the main part of the tree is gone. Drill holes in the top surface of the stump and pour a chemical stump killer in the holes as well as all over the rest of the wood. These stump killers are made of different chemicals, such as glyphosate-based herbicides or triclopyr.

Advertisement

Step 4

Keep the area overwatered and overfertilized. For watering, keep the soil soggy-moist to start root rot. For fertilization, double the amount suggested on the package of fertilizer, and double the number of times you apply it during the year.

Advertisement

Video of the Day

references