Digging up an unwanted Laurel

Jez · #1 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 05:15 AM

Its very deep rooted but it needs to come out! Somebody suggested using copper nails to kill it off???? But I can salvage the plant for somebody who have a good garden for it the better! Any ideas anyone?

tufftie · #2 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 07:40 AM

I think if it's very deep rooted you're going to find it very difficult to transplant it because the root damage will cause it to go into too much shock..no matter how careful you are. How about taking some cuttings and propagating them - then you could either sell them or give them to charities or friends? though that takes a bit of space, so maybe not such a good idea

Jez · #3 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tufftie

I think if it's very deep rooted you're going to find it very difficult to transplant it because the root damage will cause it to go into too much shock..no matter how careful you are. How about taking some cuttings and propagating them - then you could either sell them or give them to charities or friends? though that takes a bit of space, so maybe not such a good idea

Really I just want rid...It's got to go!!! I'll see if I can borrow a hatchet from work?!

Curious about hammering copper nails though! Do you or anyone else know if this suggestion is a tried and tested one?

tufftie · #4 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 08:06 AM

No not heard of it - unless it's just a way of ring marking a tree? Heard of copper to keep away slugs and snails though

Might have a look in my books later...between boring work calls !!

Purplepixii · #5 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 08:49 AM

I've heard of the copper thing though I always thought it was an urban myth. You're supposed to put copper into the trunk of a tree, whether by nail or 2p piece, and it allegedly kills the tree. Not tried it myself but have heard of it yes.

Pixii

Jez · #6 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 09:05 AM

Thanks for letting me know about that Purplepixii

I'll hang on a tad see if anyone else knows about this before I head off down the iron mongers for some copper nails!

Tursiops2 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jez

Curious about hammering copper nails though! Do you or anyone else know if this suggestion is a tried and tested one?

It's a complete fallacy, the amount of copper needed to kill a small tree is considerably more than you'd get from a handful of nails. Don't waste your money.

Is this laurel on the station you're looking after? Could you not get a passing train to pull it out? Just a thought

Jez · #8 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tursiops2

It's a complete fallacy, the amount of copper needed to kill a small tree is considerably more than you'd get from a handful of nails. Don't waste your money.

Is this laurel on the station you're looking after? Could you not get a passing train to pull it out? Just a thought

It is on the platform but no trains coming passed due to closer! But yer If I see Gladys or Thomas coming by this way i'll wave them down

tufftie · #9 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 10:11 AM

Sounds like it's going to be a grubbing mattock and bow saw job...better get that dragon balm

....mind you a dragon bomb might do the trick !!!(sorry poor play on MP)

polygro · #10 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 03:11 PM

I tried to hack one down last year as I wanted to replace it with some Hawthorn - now I have suckers coming up everywhere. Maybe I didn't go down deep enough.
Not an easy one when you don't want to use chemicals

Polly

Dan Salter · #11 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 03:17 PM

I agree the copper nail or coin thing is an urban myth..there are certain "offering" trees up and down the country with hundreds of coinds banged into them that are still living after the practice has been going for tens...maybe hundreds of years!

But i have also heard and read many times that you musnt bang nails into trees for any reason (bird boxes etc) so im not 100% sure?

galanthus · #12 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 03:21 PM

my brother in law studied horticulture and landscaped and maintained substantial hospital grounds and gardens for years; when I needed to remove a thick set bramble outside my window he was all for the copper nail things and swore they worked.

Kayleigh · #13 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

I agree the copper nail or coin thing is an urban myth..there are certain "offering" trees up and down the country with hundreds of coinds banged into them that are still living after the practice has been going for tens...maybe hundreds of years!

But i have also heard and read many times that you musnt bang nails into trees for any reason (bird boxes etc) so im not 100% sure?

Good old Jonny Kingdom...Had trees on his LAND..

Jez · #14 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 06:09 PM

Okay all thanks for info, you've been great in coming to my aid! So this is what I'm going to do. Hammer some copper nails in good and proper and see what that achieves! If no positive results i'll let you know and will will resort to plan be
and gat hatchet and bow on the Shrub. Either way i'm never happy about doing killing off a living being. Nature wise I have commit a thousand or more sins but always do my up most to redeem them. So please don't see me as a wicked man

Dan Salter · #15 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jez

Okay all thanks for info, you've been great in coming to my aid! So this is what I'm going to do. Hammer some copper nails in good and proper and see what that achieves! If no positive results i'll let you know and will will resort to plan be
and gat hatchet and bow on the Shrub. Either way i'm never happy about doing killing off a living being. Nature wise I have commit a thousand or more sins but always do my up most to redeem them. So please don't see me as a wicked man

Kill it Kill it Kill it...dont feel guilty !

...horrid plants. lol (although arent the berries bird food?)

Jez · #16 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

Kill it Kill it Kill it...dont feel guilty !

...horrid plants. lol (although arent the berries bird food?)

Just for you then mate!

thunder · #17 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

But i have also heard and read many times that you musnt bang nails into trees for any reason (bird boxes etc) so im not 100% sure?

This is mainly because if chainsaw meets iron nail - bad bad news.

Copper nails, on the other hand are soft enough not to give the chainsaw grief, or so I've always been told.

henrya

Cotham Marble · #18 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jez

Its very deep rooted but it needs to come out! Somebody suggested using copper nails to kill it off???? But I can salvage the plant for somebody who have a good garden for it the better! Any ideas anyone?

I'm sure Tursiops is correct regarding the degree of toxicity of copper nails, however there may be another effect of hammering nails into the stump. Any interuption in the cambium is likely to introduce disease and it maybe that copper simply does this more effectively than iron, so the stump rots more quickly.

Suckering plants are aways going to be a challenge where a root is left in and a stump killer isn't used. The chances of killing the root are greater if the bark is stripped to below ground level and the top of the stump is roughly cut to allow moisture to aggregate, promoting rot.

CM

Jez · #19 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cotham Marble

I'm sure Tursiops is correct regarding the degree of toxicity of copper nails, however there may be another effect of hammering nails into the stump. Any interuption in the cambium is likely to introduce disease and it maybe that copper simply does this more effectively than iron, so the stump rots more quickly.

Suckering plants are aways going to be a challenge where a root is left in and a stump killer isn't used. The chances of killing the root are greater if the bark is stripped to below ground level and the top of the stump is roughly cut to allow moisture to aggregate, promoting rot.

CM

Thanks for your Knowledge and input CM. It's greatly appreciated

ron1863 · #20 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 08:56 AM

Cut the tree down to a few feet from the ground and then dig a trench around the tree removing the earth from the main root, then rock the stump back and forth until the main root snaps off below ground, and remove all large roots. I had to do this to a huge forsythia a few years ago and it's hard work but I didn't get any suckering plants.

Jez · #21 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ron1863

Cut the tree down to a few feet from the ground and then dig a trench around the tree removing the earth from the main root, then rock the stump back and forth until the main root snaps off below ground, and remove all large roots. I had to do this to a huge forsythia a few years ago and it's hard work but I didn't get any suckering plants.

Thanks Ron for the advice..cheers

Gill Catton · #22 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 12:38 PM

I think birds do eat the berries and I used to love climbing the laurels in my best friends garden and they were the best place for a den underneath and you could easily pretend that the leaves were feathers for an indian headdress

(of course that kind of thing is most convincing if you're 6).....

thunder · #23 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cotham Marble

I'm sure Tursiops is correct regarding the degree of toxicity of copper nails, however there may be another effect of hammering nails into the stump. Any interuption in the cambium is likely to introduce disease and it maybe that copper simply does this more effectively than iron, so the stump rots more quickly.

CM

Interesting thought. However, copper salts are effective fungicides (eg Bordeaux mixture against Potato Blight etc) so I'm not sure whether copper nails would be more likely to introduce disease.

henrya

Cotham Marble · #24 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thunder

Interesting thought. However, copper salts are effective fungicides (eg Bordeaux mixture against Potato Blight etc) so I'm not sure whether copper nails would be more likely to introduce disease.

henrya

In the realm of bacteria there's almost always something that will survive, and of course whether copper loving bacteria are plentiful or would even cause rot on wood is a different matter.

CM