If you want to kill off the roots of the eucalyptus tree to stop any further growth then there are a few different methods that you can use but we will be discussing the best one. We have used this one before and it has proven effective.
It comes down to spraying a herbicide solution in small grooves of the trunk of the tree that will eventually kill off the tree. After some time you will be able to remove the large trunk and the roots that are in the ground will take some time to decompose but it will happen.
In this article, we will continue talking about this topic and why you might want to not grow eucalyptus anymore at home.
Killing Eucalyptus Tree Roots
The roots of the eucalyptus tree can grow very deep but also very long. It has been reported that the tree can grow roots in a width of almost 100 feet. Now note that that only really applies to very very old trees that have been growing for decades upon decades.
The reason for wanting to remove the roots of the eucalyptus tree is just that, they take up too much space eventually. We mentioned that we have one tried and tested method at the beginning of the article.
First, you need to cut down the tree. Leaves about 1 foot of trunk left in the ground. Here you want to cut parallel grooves with a chainsaw. The depth of the grooves should be about 1 – 2 inches.
This method is called girdling and we have used it for years upon years. After you have cut the grooves you will want to spray it with a herbicide solution. you will most likely be able to find this in most garden stores. This will kill off the tree and the roots will stop growing.
Actually getting the roots out of the ground will be a hard task. We, therefore, recommend that you just let the trunk sit there. It will take many many years for it to decompose. About 20 – 25 years probably. But for us, it beats the hassle of digging up all the roots and manually removing them.
If you want to learn about how you can kill a eucalyptus tree in the UK then we have written an article just about that. Find it here, How To Kill A Eucalyptus Tree UK.
Do Eucalyptus Roots Go Deep
The roots of the eucalyptus tree will grow pretty deep but generally speaking they are very shallow. Expect the tree to have roots at least 3 – 4 feet deep at the 10-year mark. But of course, still will depend a lot on the climate and the environment it’s growing in.
What people worry more about is the width that the roots can spread. They aren’t referred to as aggressive root systems but they do grow very quickly. So you need to think about where in the garden you are placing the tree. It can down the line otherwise have a very bad experience with other trees in the nearby proximity as they get choked out.
If you want to learn about how you can burn eucalyptus wood and some of the benefits of that then we have the perfect article just for you. Find it here, Can You Burn Eucalyptus.
Will Salt Kill A Eucalyptus Tree
Using salt is a very good method of killing a tree. You will want to make a line around the whole tree of salt. It should be rather big if the tree is also pretty old. But if you want to kill the tree then you have probably already sawed off the tree and only the trunk is left now.
The sodium salt will prevent the tree from picking up some vital nutrients it needs to survive, this includes potassium and magnesium. But we also want to mention that everything around the tree or very close to the salt will also start to die. The ground where the salt has been laying will be very unfertile for a long time afterward as well. So be aware of that.
