For the sake of legality let’s assume that this is my tree I want to kill- got that?
There is this evil magnolia tree that sits on a property line, and its roots have grown out so far that it’s causing a brick retaining wall to begin to collapse. I’ve already had a contractor come out to tear down & rebuild the wall but he basically said that it would be a waste of $6000 because that tree’s root system would knock it down again in another 5 years.
Then there is the liability issue- who is responsible if that wall collapses on somebody? It’s clearly in need of some structural support.
Worse still, the magnolia leaves fall into the back yard and during heavy rains are swept into a patio storm drain where they sit on top of it & plug it up like a rubber stopper plugs up a kitchen sink. During the last heavy rain we had, this tree was responsible for the flooding of our 3 ground-level condos because of those damned leaves.
If I (as the owner of the tree ;)) refused to have it removed, can the people who’s property is being ruined by it take me to court to get an injunction to force the removal?
I know that magnolia trees like an acid soil, and I thought about feeding it ammonia and just waiting for it to expire, but I am afraid that would take too long.
I don’t know what state you live in, but I believe that quite a few have laws that allow you to take action. If the tree is doing damage to your property, it can be declared a “public niusance,” and legally, you may then take action to undermine whatever method is causing destruction to your property. You’ll have to check with your individual state, but I’m sure that there’s something on the books of the like.
First, allow me to say that soularrow has suggested the best method to deal with the problem. Legality has an appeal all its own.
However, should a person wish to dispose of a tree he/she owned in a manner more surreptitious than an axe, said person could cut a ring of bark from the tree, leaving a strip all around the trunk bare, near the base. Perhaps it’s just a legend, but I heard this was the method used by some Native Americans to fell large trees. The aforementioned person could also assuage their conscience by blaming rampaging wildlife for the eventual death of their tree. Perhaps it’s just a legend, but I heard this was the method used by some Native Americans to fell large trees.
I’m assuming that you would need an arborist to declare the tree a nuisance. Or you could try emailing Oak Man and asking his opinion oyur best option.
In an ideal world, your (ahem) neighbor who’s having a problem with your (uh-huh) tree, could just come talk to you about the problem and split the cost of removing the tree and planting one in a better spot.
In this world, it might be possible to remove all branches and roots extending over the line onto the offended party’s property (I know that in many jurisdictions this applies at least to branches). If enough parts of the tree extend over the line, this pruning might be enough to mortally wound it (or at least make it look so crappy that it’ll wind up getting cut down).
A big question to ask: is what amounts to vandalism (i.e. the girdling suggestion) worth it, given the risk of getting caught, possibility of revenge etc.?
Ammonia does not an acid soil make. Ammonia is known as a “thunderstorm in a bottle” because it helps fix nitrogen into the soil. If you poured ammonia on a magnolia tree (and you better go for about 20 gallons – at least 10-15 feet away from the base!), you’d be doing the tree a favor. FYI: To make soil acidic, pour leftover coffee into the rootball. Or bury coffee grounds near the trunk. I don’t really think a highly acidic soil would hurt a Magnolia much anyway. They usually live in areas where azaleas and hydrangeas and big oaks and pines also thrive, which means an acidic soil environment, in general. (At least where I live they do.)
To properly kill it, I recommend a large chainsaw, some rope and a 12-pack for you and your friends. Practice shouting at each other, “Hey y’all, watch this!” (Southern joke)
The bark stripping ought to do it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the tree lived through it. If you try it, go at least a half inch deep into the soft, pulpy parts and make sure you “cut off circulation” all the way around. Essentially, you’ll be strangling the tree in a slow and horrible death!
Have an insurance company inspect the wall. If it’s a liability, perhaps they can throw some weight on influencing the owner to chip in on a resolution. A lawyer might also be helpful.
Well it’s just gone Autumn so this may not be the best time to try to kill trees.
The easiest and most effective way of killing a tree without leaving any evidence is to poison it. Carefuly dig around under the tree until you find a relatively small live root. Don’t damage it however. Get a jar, mix up some appropriate arboricide relatively weak, no more than 1/2 strength. Any decent hardware store should sell tree/woody weed/blackberry killers. Cleanly cut the tree root with a pair of secateurs and immediately dip the end of the root closest to the tree into the solution. This has to be done fast before air bubbles form in the vessels in the root. Leave the root there while it sucks up the poison. Periodically top up the container with water and herbicide as the level drops. As a general rule of thumb allow about 500mLs of half strength herbicide for every 10 metres of tree. This is very rough and depends on the herbicide used, tree species etc. The more you use the more expensive it is and the more certain the process is to work. Depending on the species of tree and the temperature sucking up this amount of liquid could take a couple of hours, or it might take a couple of days. Afetr you’ve finished fill in the hole and wait a couple of months. Problem solved. Only try this if the tree is green and actively growing.
If you can prune the tree then the other solution is to mix your herbicide with some food colouring of the appropriate colour (green is good) and paint it on the stumps. You can then claim that the substance is tree-wound paint designed to stop borers, rot etc. Unfortunately the tree will succumb to a mystery disease anyway. Again apply the herbicide as soon as possible after removing the limb.
Of course if you can find someone with access to some “Velpar”, and you don’t mind killing a section of your lawn for twelve months, simply sprinkle about 500mls of diluted Velapar around the root system of the tree.
Ringbarking is a less thn perect means of killing trees. If a small sliver of bark is removed it’s odds on that the tree will simply heal over the damage. It’ll be sick for a while but death is unlikely. A ring of bark at least four inches wide is recommended for ringbarking and I doubt you’re going to be able to blame that on the wildlife.
And for my advice, use very possible legal avenue first, and never ever break the law.
I will caution you on his last. Do not express any desire to see the tree dead. In fact make sure they hear you expouse your love for the tree’s fragrance (or what not)
Act indignant when the tree starts to die. Make suggestions on how to revive it.
An alternate route might be to bore a 1" hole in the trunk, save the plug. under that drill into the trees core (halfway through) fill the bore with “specific herbicide omitted per board rules” and replace the plug.
In my occupation I frenquently deal with removing unwanted vegetation. Homeowners associations can be a bitch to deal with. Best not to get their attention.
For the sake of legality, I must concur with soularrow’s advice. That said, there is always the incredibly cheap and effective method known as “girdling”.
This involves taking a single strand of baling wire, encompassing the tree with it and then twisting the ends until it begins to cinch up tight. Continue to twist the ends until the wire cuts through the bark and cambium layer, down to the wood. Death is assured. However, this is not the most advisable course of action seeing as how many cities now have “heritage tree” clauses in their zoning codes that prohibit the removal of trees that have a trunk girth greater than six inches.
I don’t want anybody to become an arboricidal maniac, but this tree has got to go. It’ll take some covert ninja-style operations to do any of the things listed above, unless I- er… they were to catch me on vacation or something. And even then there would probably be witnesses.
Looks like it’ll have to be the legal route; I just don’t like the idea of one neighbor having to drag the other into court over something so seemingly silly.
If this tree is on or near your property line then I can’t figure out why you would need to use ninja stealth tactics to dig up the roots. they’ll be in your own garden. Surely you don’t need an excuse to dig in your own garden do you?
Zenster,
I can tell you from experience that girdling will rarely work on most plants. Even if the tree is ringbarked, as in the cambium is physically removed, it’s quite common for the injury ot heal. When you’re talking about effectively removing only a couple of millimeteres of bark and cambial tissue the chances of repair are very, very high.
Actually, he said he knew that magnolias like acidic soil, not that they dislike it. They actually prefer a rich, moist, well drained, neutral or acid soil. They dislike alkaline soils (so if you dont mind salting the soil, you could pour bags of salt all around the tree up to the drip line). Magnolias here near Monterey are seen growing in all kinds of soils here. I’ve seen them in sand. I’ve even seen them growing along sidewalks as street trees. As a side not, i’ve noticed the ones growing along sidewalks and streets tend to look much more compact and not as open branched as ones growing in a less confined space.
If yours is not a Magnolia grandiflora (Southern Magnolia), that may explain the problem with the retaining wall, especially because sunset’s western garden book states that M. grandiflora is a good street or lawn tree, wall or espalier plant.
Not that I desire to get this post stopped, but how can it be ok for moderators to stop drug discussions while allowing talk about subversly killing trees, which in many regions would certainly be illegal. Especially by the means the above poster is proposing.
I’m no real treehugger, but magnolias are a little rarer than pine, and do not grow back as quickly as pine, or many other “junk” trees, and are just prettier trees. This may very well be a case where one should adapt to the treee. Scum developers will think nothing of killing beautiful trees, knowing it is illegal, but nonetheless get away with it.
Check with local authorities to make sure this is allowed. If you live in an urban area, it may not be.
If you’ll notice my opening disclaimer, the tree in question is probably mine, if it exists at all. Illegal for me to kill my own tree? Not unless this has evolved into some bizarre sort of vegetable rights thread.
If it sits on the property line, it almost certainly is not yours to do with as you please. I suggest you contact a lawyer. Or a surveyor. The Straight Dope is not going to help you kill your neighbor’s tree, if it is your neighbor’s tree. This thread is closed.
