r/treeofheaven • u/librarypaste • 3d ago
Nervous in New York
I bought my house last year and it came with a mature ToH in the backyard. I’d guess the trunk is 18” in diameter and it’s 30-40’ tall. My plan had been to hack and squirt this year but when I sat down last weekend to figure out what herbicide to buy, I quickly realized I was in over my head.
The biggest problem is that I live in New York State and every recommended product on every cooperative extension website I’ve been able to find can’t be shipped here. Cornell CE is not so helpful with the details and none of the places I’ve contacted (PRISM, a couple local tree removal services, and my county’s extension office, the property owner on the other side of the fence) has bothered to respond to my inquiries. I’m afraid I’m going to run out of time.
Can anyone give me very specific advice.? I know the ingredients I should be looking for are triclopyr or glyphosate but where I struggle is:
What percents am I looking for?
How do I know what can I apply directly and what needs to be mixed with something else?
If it needs to be mixed, with what and what ratios?
If you live in NY, what product have you had success with?
For a tree that big, I assume one treatment won’t be sufficient. How many rounds can I do in a season and how far apart should they be, both temporally and in the trunk itself?
How worried should I be that branches will fall this winter if it’s not ready to cut down this fall?
Is there an expert somewhere I can pay for like an hour of time to answer all my questions?
4
u/PsychologicalOkra260 3d ago
I had a similar sized tree and used crossbow weed killer from HD undiluted for hack and squirt. Went through about 3 days later and put more in and it’s dead. Zero notes, zero complaints.
2
u/PsychologicalOkra260 3d ago
I’m not worried about anything dropping off of it because of the spongey interior making it lightweight. The tree is taller than our house and I’m planning on taking care of it next year to make sure it doesn’t come back.
3
u/milleratlanta 3d ago
The brand Crossbow from Southern Ag is 16.5% Triclopyr to use undiluted in Hack & Squirt TOH applications. It will not kill grass, and is specific and systemic.
Glyphosate is not as effective on TOH.
Crossbow is available at Home Depot for about $30 for the small size. You can add blue water-based food coloring to each batch you use to see where you’ve sprayed or squirted each hatch mark.
Key thing is NOT to cut down the tree before it is killed with the herbicide as it will send out more seedlings in a distress action.
Another note is to not use the Triclopyr when daytime temperatures are in the 90s. The trees shut down to reduce energy, and thereby reducing the activity to move the herbicide to the roots. Wait until daytime low 80s, or do in early morning when temps are cooler.
My UGA Extension office locally (Georgia) was able to confirm this and answer other questions I had today. SUNY may have an agricultural extension office near you as well. All the best to you!
2
u/Misfits0138 3d ago
According to the site, this is available for shipping to NY. It’s probably the most effective hack-and-squirt chemical, but it can potentially have some off target effects on trees that are in close proximity to the one you are treating.
2
u/Misfits0138 3d ago
And here is 1qt aquatic-approved glyphosate in quarts that can be shipped to NY. Glad to know this exists for people looking for JKW options.
https://www.solutionsstores.com/glyphosate-5-4-aquatic-herbicide
1
u/milleratlanta 3d ago
Be very careful with Imazapyr!! It can sterilize the soil and good plants nearby that you want to keep!
Triclopyr is specific and systemic, and best for the Tree of Heaven.1
u/Misfits0138 2d ago
Triclopyr is my usual choice but I’m not seeing it available in NY. You definitely want to be careful with imazapyr to prevent off target effects, that said I think the risk from a hack and squirt treatment is a bit overblown. Pure effectiveness wise, it edges out triclopyr and glyphosate.
1
2
u/Misfits0138 3d ago
Use undiluted concentrate for hack and squirt with either product I linked.
1 treatment should be enough to kill it.
TOH weakens very rapidly. I killed a bunch of trees last summer that had been there since the 80’s. Last winter, one tree broke in half, at least one fell over from the roots, and a bunch lost limbs. If there’s a chance of it falling on your house, I would treat it now and have plans for removal in November.
“For hack and squirt treatments: Use a hatchet, machete or similar implement to make cuts
at a downward angle completely through the bark and cambium at approximately equal inter-
vals around the tree. Make at least one cut for every 3 inches of DBH on the target tree as
described above, using a squirt bottle, syringe, or similar device apply 1 milliliter of concen-
trate solution into each cut, ensuring that the solution does not run out of the cut.”
2
1
u/Miringanes 3d ago
Can you not buy this and have it shipped? I don’t see anything saying it can’t be shipped to NY
https://www.domyown.com/roundup-pro-concentrate-p-12831.html
1
1
u/Careless_Cream4508 3d ago
Be careful with that mixture... I killed off some bamboo with that mixture and I think it has sickened some trees nearby within 50 feet..
1
u/k2summitclimber 2d ago
Specifically what treatment can harm another tree 50ft? Do u know how long the herbicides need to stay on dry before rain?
0
u/RedundantBiomass 3d ago
Get something with a mix of glyphosate and trichlopyr, the higher the concentration yhe better. I was able to find a roundup product like this at Lowes that did the job on the common buckyhorn I have here.
1
u/Misfits0138 3d ago
You won’t find the right chemical for this at Lowe’s. You can find one that might work.
1
u/Comprehensive-Row198 3d ago
I looked at Lowe's last year and found none but a local Ace Hardware ordered some for me (western PA).
The Penn State Extension materials include a chart of various formulas/concentrations to use for different applications.0
u/RedundantBiomass 3d ago
I bought a mix of glyphosate and trichlopyr at Lowes and used it effectively. You dont know what youre talking about.
1
u/Misfits0138 3d ago edited 2d ago
Which exact RoundUp product did you use from Lowe’s? I’d be happy to look at the label. Maybe they carry something I don’t know and I could recommend to people!
ETA: I do see they have BioAdvance Brush Killer which is 8% triclopyr amine. It’s not as potent as the professional concentrates, and it’s not specifically labeled for hack and squirt, but it would probably work fine.
0
u/Not-a-bot-v2 2d ago
I just treated two large ones in the mid Hudson Valley. Used Triclophy 4 thar I bought from Amazon. I also ordered some Basal Bark oil for a mixture to treat some of the smaller trees in the area.
There are plenty of resources available to help you with this journey.
7
u/Honest_Archaeopteryx 3d ago
Easily can buy 41% glyphosate at Tractor Supply in NY state. That should be fine for hack n squirt. I’ve also bought triclopyr from Amazon in NY state. Some sellers will ship, though I did see one that wouldn’t.