Need tricky help to kill a small pine

[Gunner]

Hi All, New member here. I been lurking and enjoying the nice place you have here. So anyhow, let me explain: I've got a small pine that is blocking a view that I'd like. I'd like to take the tree out, my wife wants it to stay. If push comes to shove, she'd succumb to taking it out. It's no big deal really, but I thought that if the tree were to die   then I could just take it out and nobody would be the wiser. Just being sneaky here. What could I do that would kill the tree over time? (Tried to attach a pic, but I guess the file is too big and I not savvy enough to reduce the file size)

[billbobtlh]

I have done this several times. Get your cordless drill and full strength round up. Squirt in in six or so holes you drill into it.
I did this to several wolf pines to leave dead heads for the wood peckers.  They fell in less than a year though. :-/

[Texas Ranger]

granular herbicide at the base.  No drill holes.  If there are plants are grass at the base, bigger problem.

[Kevin]

a small pine

Any chance of transplanting it to another location?
Then you're both happy!  

[Ianab]

over-zealous use of a weed whacker can result in 'accidental' ringbarking of an undesireable tree

[Gunner]

Thanks for all the ideas. Actually, the transplant idea might just work. The tree is about 6 feet tall. I have a small Kubota w/ backhoe and FEL couild probably get it out of the ground with a good size root ball. Don't I have to worry about a tap root? How deep might it be? If I don't get it all, how much is enough? I guess in the end if the tree doesn't survive the move the only thing I've lost is a litle time.

[Tillaway]

Transplant will work on that little thing.  Nusery's root prune them before digging.  Just take a sharp shovel ( sharpen it with a file ) and push it straight into the ground at about the drip line or a little closer and ring it by doing this.  Do this the year before you move it or every year prior to the time you dig it.  It will reduce shock and you will plant a healthier tree.

No need to prune after you transplant.

[Kevin]

Just for the record, I'm not a Forester but I play one on the Forestry Forum  

Put a notch on yer grip Kevy

[Stephen_Wiley]

To add to what Tillaway has said;

Best method of transplant is to begin a year or even two years from actual transplant.

Begin by cutting the root ball on four sides only, then after a growing season return and finish cutting root ball.  Root ball size  is determined by diameter of tree 6 inches above ground surface for tree diameters < 5" a minimum of a 16" root ball will be required .

Depending upon your soil water table the tap root will most likely not be a problem in the transplant. Burlap the ball for moving, but remove burlap before planting. Try to find soils equivalent to the site from which the tree was taken.

BTW, welcome to the forum !  

[tshanefreeman]

When I consult or personally transplant any species of tree, I alway follow the rule of 11" of rootball for every 1" of diameter taken a minimum of 6" above the root flare.  This way the tree is transplanted with its vigor and future in mind.  This ratio is simple to calculate:

- 1" diameter x 11" rootball = 11" rootball diameter
- 2" diameter x 11" rootball = 22" rootball diameter
- 3" diameter x 11" rootball = 33" rootball diameter
- 4" diameter x 11" rootball = 44" rootball diameter
- 5" diameter x 11" rootball = 55" rootball diameter
............and so on!

This rule goes along with Harris' recommendations found within the text 'Arboriculture' (1999), where he states, "The diameter of the root ball should usually be 10 to 12 times the trunk diameter (251)."

I honestly believe that a 16" rootball for any tree under 5" diameter would be far to great of a risk; the chance of survival and quick recuperation would be slim!  When transplanting, the more intact soil the better...............and this is typically determined by the amount of man-power available or the size of the equipment at one's disposal.

[Corley5]

You really want to kill it?  Dig up the sod around it and fertilize it with a lot of high nitrogen fertilizer then water it on a regular basis to encourage the uptake of the nitrogen into the tree.  It'll kill the tree and your wife will think that you are just being nice to it

[L. Wakefield]

   No one has a problem with the ethics of deceit here- just going to encourage it? Hmm, I wonder if the wife ever reads over his shoulder. Quite a set up.

  There's a lot more than trees growing in a marriage- trust for one thing. starts with the same letter t. Ya can't see it, but it'll grow like a tree, twist like a diseased tree, or die like a tree. Deceit is the ethical equivalent of Roundup.

 jUst my thoughts.  lw

[RMay]

Weed & feed lawn fertilizer

[Stephen_Wiley]

When I consult or personally transplant any species of tree, I alway follow the rule of 11" of rootball for every 1" of diameter taken a minimum of 6" above the root flare.  This way the tree is transplanted with its vigor and future in mind.  This ratio is simple to calculate:

- 1" diameter x 11" rootball = 11" rootball diameter
- 2" diameter x 11" rootball = 22" rootball diameter
- 3" diameter x 11" rootball = 33" rootball diameter
- 4" diameter x 11" rootball = 44" rootball diameter
- 5" diameter x 11" rootball = 55" rootball diameter
............and so on!

This rule goes along with Harris' recommendations found within the text 'Arboriculture' (1999), where he states, "The diameter of the root ball should usually be 10 to 12 times the trunk diameter (251)."

I honestly believe that a 16" rootball for any tree under 5" diameter would be far to great of a risk; the chance of survival and quick recuperation would be slim!  When transplanting, the more intact soil the better...............and this is typically determined by the amount of man-power available or the size of the equipment at one's disposal.

Tshanefreeman,  Welcome to the forum.

The minimum I stated is also taken from 'Harris" table on Recommended Minimum Root Ball Sizes for Different Types of Field Grown Trees (ANSI Z60.1 1986)

The reason I stated a mimimum instead of  10-12" is so that Gunner can determine a manageble size to handle himself. Especially if he has heavy clay soils, he may not want to deal with the weight of a 55" root ball for a 5" caliper tree. (note: this is not D.B.H.) !!

Have had to use minimum or near minimum transplant recommendations on many jobs over the past 25+ years.  Key to success was by starting the transplant 2 years before.

[tshanefreeman]

Stephen,

I too agree that early root pruning is an excelent way to minimize not only the stresses associated with transplanting, but it also allows the tree to adapt in its own, natural way.

In regards to the 16" rootball for trees under 5" caliper, I was just a little concerned that 'Gunner' would think that 16" would be enough, not only for this instance, but for every transplanting attempt.  Yes, there are occassions when you just can't physically move large rootballs and as a result the rules/guidelines are bent or broken, but the reality remains, the more you keep intact ... the better the chances are for survival!  You don't want to change the tree's root-to-shoot ratio to much or else the shoot portion (the portion of the tree above ground) will become dormant for a very long period in an attempt to allow the roots to catch up.  This phase doesn't adversely affect the tree, but I have seen cases where homeowners think the tree is sick because of the lack of growth and then end of killing the tree with love............ over-watering!

In addition, a 5" caliper tree with a small rootball (16" for example) would be difficult to keep erect in its new location, even with the aid of proper guying. Providing a larger base will create less headache in the end!

[redpowerd]

how deep are you fellers rootprunin?

[crosscut]

6 ft pine tree did i really get into this conversation. in fl this would be considered a weed and kicked over with my boots on the way out to get the paper ok i get it this is one of them are you woth marryin up to guys questions ive only failed that one once

[Stan]

My wife once planted a pine in the dry well for the water softener. The salt did a pretty good job, but then the dry well backed up and flooded the whole yard.  :-/