Help! Sumac invading my Landscape!

13 years ago

Any ideas on what to do with an invasive Sumac that is driving me crazy? We removed the tree 5 years ago, and since then the stump has continued to sprout, and the roots have spread and sprouted. We're finally removing the stump, but are being told we can't get rid of all those pesky roots, and that they will continue to sprout up and taunt me forever. Is there a ground cover that might overtake it?

Featured Answer

wyndyacre

13 years ago

I do not reccommend using salt on the soil in your garden. Not only will it kill everything in the area but it will make the soil incapable of sustaining growth of anything for quite some time. The Roundup will kill anything it is sprayed on but does not stay in the soil. You do not have to "paint" the roundup on. Mix it in a spray jug in the ratio reccommended in the directions, then spray it on only the sumac shoots. If there are desirable plants in the vicinity, do not allow the spray on them. If they are too close, cover them temporarily with a plastic bag.
My understanding is that not only is the original root ball spouting growth but there is also sumac shoots coming up remotely, from spreading roots. Spray the new growth on the rootball and then spray each of the remote growth....just enough to wet each leafy shoot.

Spraying the bare stump will not work. Roundup requires leaf growth to work....it is pulled into the roots through the leaves by the act of photosynthisis. It requires leaves to work!

Read the directions on the bottle and follow them. And good luck! :-)

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Comments (6)

wyndyacre
13 years ago
Judicious spraying of systemic herbicide, such as Roundup, in the spring when the young shoots are growing and tender. Don't try to spray tall shoots....cut everything down to the ground, wait until they are growing up again and about 6" tall. Then you are spraying tender, leafy shoots and not woody material. And you won't have to use much spray, just enough to dampen the leaves. Do it on a mild sunny day with no wind.
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ASVInteriors
13 years ago
I had a similar problem many years ago in a previous garden - I love its fall foliage but what a pain to get rid off - It throws runners, like bamboo and can shoot up far away from the main tree.
I did a quick google for you (I didn't know it was called Sumac in English) and this seems to have been a successful answer. Let me know if it works, so I can use it next time
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060630195154AAkYAba
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Susan Jacobs
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you for the suggestions! After the stump is out, I will put the plan into action. Maybe I will try a stong salt solution first, which was suggested in "answers.yahoo". Or white vinegar. Otherwise, I'll go with the Round Up. What is meant by "painting on" the Round-Up? Does one literally use a brush or something similar and apply the herbicide to the tops of the leafy shoots? I guess that helps to avoid killing the plants I actually WANT to keep.
Carrie Cranwill
13 years ago
A couple of methods

One choice is to do a fresh cut on the stump when it warms up (spring), soak some type of fabric that you can secure to the stump in roundup (some people use those odd socks that turn up without a mate and just put those over the stump if it is small enough). The idea is to give extra time for the root to absorb the round up.

The second choice is to drill holes into the top (again a fresh cut) of the stump and paint it with roundup making sure to fill the holes with roundup as well, so again it gives it time to really absorb into the stump.

Hope that helps, this is what others have recommended over the years.
Carrie Cranwill
13 years ago
last modified: 13 years ago
From the round up page:

Roundup Tree Stump & Root Killer is a concentrate glyphosate weedkiller that is absorbed by leaves and freshly cut woody surfaces and moves throughout the whole plant above and below ground to control standing coniferous and deciduous trees, newly cut tree stumps, tree saplings, bracken, brambles, nettles and other tough perennial and woody weeds. It’s the only home and garden weedkiller that carries detailed instructions and an application pipette to kill patches of Japanese Knotweed.

Also check

http://www.roundup-garden.com/which-roundup-product/tree-stump-root-killer.aspx

It does recommend painting on with a brush and can be applied to freshly cut wood surfaces.

Extra note: I would treat the stump prior to removal because it is hard to get all the roots and if you treat it as well as any runners coming from it you will have a higher chance of getting rid of it.