How do you kill a shrub stump so it will not come back again??

Shirley57
by Shirley57

How do I make sure the shrub will not grow back after I trim off all of the branches?

  9 answers
  • Dee Dee on Sep 19, 2018

    Buy some stump killer.

  • Emily Emily on Sep 19, 2018

    remove the stump of the shrub. and any off shoots. Fasten it to the car and pull out that way if it is a big stump.

  • Tinyshoes Tinyshoes on Sep 19, 2018

    Shirley...You can rent a stump remover or hire someone to remove it. Look in yellow pages for renting or hiring.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Sep 19, 2018

    Hi Shirley, Cut it right down to the ground and use Root Rot to kill it off.

  • Caryn Campisano Rowe Caryn Campisano Rowe on Sep 20, 2018

    Bore a hole into the center of it and pour acid down in the hole.

  • Mary Smith Mary Smith on Sep 20, 2018

    Pour salted boiling water on it. That will kill anything with roots.

  • Chloe Crabtree Chloe Crabtree on Nov 07, 2023

    Begin by gathering a few supplies: a drill with a large bit or an ax, Epsom salt, water, wax, a tarp, and a shovel. Proceed to drill several 1-inch-wide holes in the stump's surface, including its aerial roots, ensuring each hole is placed at a distance of at least three to four inches. While six holes are sufficient, bigger stumps may require more. Ensure you drill down to around eight inches to allow for deeper salt penetration. Alternatively, you may use an ax to make hollows in the tree stump. Next, directly pour Epsom salt ¾ of the way up in the drilled holes and fill the rest with water to keep the salt moist. Then, plug the holes with wax. Additionally, cover the trunk remnant with a non-porous tarp to minimize rain and sun exposure so that the roots do not sprout again and the salt does its job of rotting the stump. Repeat the procedure every three weeks until the stump is dead, and dig it out using a shovel.


    If you don't wish to strain yourself by drilling holes, you can use the soaking method to remove a tree stump. In a bucket, combine Epsom salt and water in a 1:2 ratio. Generally, soaking a single tree base requires two gallons of water and one gallon of salt. Pour this solution all over the tree stump and its largest exposed roots. After drenching the stump, cover it with an opaque tarp or a plastic sheet, and add a layer of mulch on top to weigh it down. You can also sprinkle a nitrogen-rich fertilizer around the tree trunk's base to further boost its breakdown. Repeat this method at least once a week and chip away at the wood as it decomposes. Finally, pull out all the stump remnants, especially the root system, when it completely dries out. After disposing of the stump, you can repurpose the space by adding soil and sowing grass or flower seeds.

  • Deb K Deb K on Nov 11, 2023

    Hi Shirley57, hope this helps you. Drilling holes into the stump will help the hot water kill deep and exposed roots. After you're finished drilling, carefully pour boiling water over the stump, making sure to cover the entire stump. The hot water will shock the system and begin the decomposition process using heat. Then you could pour some epsom salts in the holes and cover them ( to prevent them getting diluted by rain)to let them break down the stump.