How to stop a tree from growing?

Louise
by Louise
A few years ago, I had a large sweetgum tree cut down because of all the sweetgum balls in the driveway and everywhere else. Volunteers keep coming up and I cut them to the ground each time. Time to cut them again, but what can I do to stop them from reappearing?
  11 answers
  • William William on Aug 28, 2016
    Use a strong herbicide right after cutting them down. Rock salt will also work.
  • Sue Kiene Sue Kiene on Aug 28, 2016
    William is right
  • G-m5274252 G-m5274252 on Aug 28, 2016
    Vinegar will also do the trick. Be sure to get it all over the start. I use a small spray bottle.
  • Ljgordon Ljgordon on Aug 28, 2016
    You still have stumps. The tree is not dead. Try this. Drill several 1/2" holes vertically as deep as possible. Fill them with full strength Roundup, a herbicide, and cover to prevent evaporation and thinning when it rains. It should work its way into the roots.
  • M. M.. M. M.. on Aug 29, 2016
    Too much salt and you'll kill anything and everything, including the soil for future plants and seeds. if you're going to garden in that area, or if it sits above other garden spots (runoff from rain, sprinklers will carry the salt to those other places). Salt takes years to leave the soil..Vinegar and covering the stump with dirt or heavy temporary layers of black plastic will help/
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Aug 29, 2016
    There is a product called stump out. Drill several holes in the stump and put the crystals into the holes. With that the vinegar and salt combination will work providing there are no other surrounds plants that you want to keep.
  • DORLIS DORLIS on Aug 29, 2016
    I have no maple trees in m yard, only oak, hickory and walnut, but I imagine the same would work for the maple. I use vinegar, Dawn mixed with water. 1 cup vinegar, a shot of Dawn to make it stick to the leaves and if you really want to kill the shooots, add some salt.
  • DarWat DarWat on Aug 31, 2016
    Find someone with a root grinder and pay them to grind the stump. Locally they charge about $50 per stump, well worth the money.
    • Mok796616 Mok796616 on Sep 03, 2016
      That's a great price. I had a stump ground out about 11 years ago & it cost me $250.00.
  • Deanna Nassar Deanna Nassar on Sep 03, 2016
    3 possible products to use 1 Bromide Stump-Out is a granular stump remover that works in four to six weeks. A 1-pound bottle kills most stumps. Bromide Stump-Out does not require cutting or digging. 2 Spectracide is a finely-milled powder that kills stumps by boosting the natural decomposition process. It does not kill grass or garden plants. 3 Tordon RTU is a liquid stump killer that may be brushed over the stump or injected into it. The injection method requires cutting into the sides of the stump. This product produces results in several weeks. Large stumps sometimes require two applications, spaced 30 days apart.
  • Erin Erin on Aug 26, 2020

    Hi everyone, I know this post is a few years only- but maybe you can help me. We had a sweet gum tree and stump ground out, but now there are tiny trees growing off the root system that hasn’t died yet. THEY ARE EVERYWHERE, and starting to pop up in neighbors yard.


    what can I use to kill? I was doing single placement of round up, which worked but they are still popping up in new places. Thanks!