# HELP!! How to keep this plants and tree seeds from growing back?



## gante (Jan 17, 2008)

Hi all,

I have been at this house for about a month and half. In the time that I have been here I have cleaned the backyard three times. I have pulled the wild plants from the roots to keep them from growing back (or at least I thought so). This as you can imagine is a lot of hard work. I am very disapointed on the results. One of the pictures attached shows the backyard today. This yard was cleaned two weeks ago, but as you can see the plants are exactly as they were two weeks ago. I am very frustrated and tired of dealing this this. I would like to use a poison to kill all these plants but it will need to be pet and child safe. I would not like to hurt some of the trees on the back yard. What do you suggest to do?, any advices?

The first picture shows some of the plans on the far corner.
The second picture shows a large tree which is to blame for all the seeds that grow as shown in picture 3. This little trees have very deep roots and grow very fast. I will eventually remove this large tree as well. 
Greg


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Those are seeds from the tree
Its a junk tree & will continue to drop them
Possibly it also extends roots underground to spread

Cut the tree down
One Apt we simply kept the yard mowed - tree was too big


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## gma2rjc (Nov 21, 2008)

If you're not sure what kind of plant/tree it is, take a picture of it to a local nursery. Ask what they have to spray on it to kill it. You might find something that's harmless to pets and kids. If not, you may have to keep them out of the yard for a few hours or a day. It will tell on the directions.

Good luck. BTW, I had the same problem in my yard the first spring we were here. It was because the previous owners didn't pick-up any of the walnuts that fell over the past few years. We sprayed something on them and that worked. Now we start picking up the walnuts when they start falling in June until the last one falls some time in early November. What a PITA.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Its a junk tree & will continue to drop them
Possibly it also extends roots underground to spread

It looks like a Kentucky Coffee tree to me, but it is hard to tell from the pic, not necessarily a junk tree but will send off LOTS of seed pods. Cutting down a tree would be a last resort in my opinion, but I was in the tree care business most of my life so I am just a little predigest

Ask what they have to spray on it to kill it. You might find something that's harmless to pets and kids. If not, you may have to keep them out of the yard for a few hours or a day. It will tell on the directions.:thumbsup:


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

Gante
FYI- When asking landscaping questions, it is most helpful to include where you are.

1. Keep the area mowed.
2. Mulch it.
3. Use a sucker herbicide.
4. Use a herbicide like Round-Up that will absorb into the roots. However, this can cause problems with the tree as a whole instead of just killing the roots that are suckering. Not the best choice, but an option nonetheless.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

My mistake about the tree, NOT kentucky Coffee but *ailanthus* , sorry about that.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

something to look forward to :laughing:



> The small yellow to greenish flowers are borne on branched panicles. They turn reddish later in the year and eventually brown. They stay on the tree for a long time; the male flowers have a strong odour. The odour tends to resemble the smell of strong cat urine or the spray of a male cat. Also, touching the leaves leaves an unpleasant smell on the hands
> 
> This is considered an invasive species in North America. Ailanthus is capable of forming thick blankets of roots and heavy shade to the extent that native species are prevented from being able to reclaim an area that has been logged or deforested, as well as areas that have been heavily developed


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## gma2rjc (Nov 21, 2008)

> the male flowers have a strong odour. The odour tends to resemble the smell of strong cat urine or the spray of a male cat. Also, touching the leaves leaves an unpleasant smell on the hands


I'd have to say bye-bye to that tree.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

I'd have to say bye-bye to that tree. 

As I said before,I am mostly against cutting down trees, but in this case, it would have to go. The pic shown is sucker growth from surface roots, the tree grows like bamboo and if you have ever tried to control bamboo,you know what I mean.:laughing:


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## ccarlisle (Jul 2, 2008)

How about a good pruning? I'd say that tree needs a good clean-up.

But, I'd follow Joe Walsh's (chrisn):yes: advice on this as well as on his painting advice, no question...


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

The tree at the Apt I rented used to push suckers up from the roots thru 3" blacktop


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

The tree at the Apt I rented used to push suckers up from the roots thru 3" blacktop 

It will do that also:yes:

But, I'd follow Joe Walsh's (chrisn):yes: advice on this as well as on his painting advice, no question..
. 
Not Joe anymore, that is actually me 35 years ago

Thanks!


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## ccarlisle (Jul 2, 2008)

chrisn:

The "Joe Walsh" thing was strictly a personal comment...I remember reading your posts several months back and seeing a picture I thought was Joe Walsh's...LOL! He's a pickin' hero of mine... 

But I _did_ like your posts tho'...:wink:


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

and seeing a picture I thought was Joe Walsh's

It was


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## 4just1don (Jun 13, 2008)

Sounds as if you could spray 2,4,-D on it to kill the suckers. IF there were NO tree roots of trees you want to keep ,,,underneath in the soil ,,,use Grazon. Its best to 'kill' the tree before cutting it down since that stops sucker growth also. otherwise every root grows back another tree. 

BOTH sprays wont kill grass,just tree and broadleaf weeds. 

Roundup applied to small suckers MAY or may NOT kill them. It wont kill the main tree unless you can spray ALL or most of the green leaves. Once roundup hits soil it becomes inactive,,,therefore NO residual activity. other thing is roundup will killl wanted grasses also!!


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## gante (Jan 17, 2008)

Scuba_Dave said:


> something to look forward to :laughing:


 
Yes, you are absolutely correct on your description. I hate the smell every time I have to dig them out by hand. 

As a follow up... I attempted to use a poison sold at homedepot but it really does not seem to be strong enough. The wild plants and small reborn trees keep coming back.

I will be looking into cutting down this tree but it can get very expensive therefore is something I have to plan for. Definetly I will cut it down as soon as I have the money to do so. This tree was the first complaint I receive when I moved into my house from the neighbor. They say that they get all this small trees that keep growing back on their yards from the seeds of this old large tree. I was not really looking into cutting the tree at first but I have come to the conclusion that I have no other choice. 

This is going to be a long process before I can have a nice back yard. I would have to cut the trees, kill all the other wild plants, weeds, etc. Keep the land clean for a couple weeks just to make sure I do not get more of these plants back. Then install sprinkles and then finally new sod. Wow, lots of work and very little money. Wish me luck.


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## 4just1don (Jun 13, 2008)

Use some 
'Tordon' on those,they wont live long!!


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

You will find that the roots will continue to send up shooters for possibly a year
I just kept mowing the area - eventually the root dies


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## gante (Jan 17, 2008)

Scuba_Dave said:


> You will find that the roots will continue to send up shooters for possibly a year
> I just kept mowing the area - eventually the root dies


 
Do you mean that I will continue to see those trees growing from the old roots even after I remove the tree it self?. I am starting to hate this tree and I want it gone soon. It is a lot of work to keep cleaning those "shooter" as you call them. And if I do not remove them while they are small they get to grow pretty fast and then its worst.

I wish there was a strong poison that I could spray on this trees and would kill the whole thing including the roots. I have tried a product from homedepot although it took a few days it eventually kill the plan but I don't think it killed the roots.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Yes, the roots will not die right away
Depennding upon when you cut the tree down they will keep growing & try to leaf out


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