Applying roundup to the cut trunk works just fine. I've used it on everything from 1/2" dia. European buckthorn to 14" diameter Siberian elm growing in my lilac hedge.

Try a herbicide that contains triclopyr rather than glyphosate (RoundUp). Triclopyr was developed to control brush and woody plants rather than just weeds and is much more effective when used on trees or shrubs.

And use a sponge tipped paintbrush rather than a q-tip :-) Much faster and more efficient.

Well, triclopyr may be 'more effective' than roundup but I only used Glyphosate once and nothing returned. So are there different levels of dead? :-)

Nope,....dead is dead :-) But a one time app of glyphosate will seldom have that effect. And especially on pernicious (cut and come again) or suckering woody species. Different mode of action, different degrees of effectiveness.

I have used A4D in the past and it out preformed Glyphosate on brush and other woody plants, when it was applied to the leaves in a diluted spray form.

With Glyphosate the brush would start growing again, after a few weeks, after killing the leaves. If you wanted to kill it completely, it would take more than one application.

With A4D the leaves looked dead and it killed the brush with one app.

I don't know if triclorpyr is the same as the old A4D is now defunct.

When it comes to treating freshly cut stumps, Glyphosate works the first time with one application.

Thanks!

Thanks for the tips. Great idea with the sponge brush. I was thinking I might not be putting enough on. When using triclopyr it’s to my understanding that it won’t kill grass right? If I had some small trees trying to come up in my lawn I can spray them without worrying about killing the grass?

Ken, don't know what is wrong with my laptop, but when I click on your link I get images of Plochman's mustard. lolololololol