The removal of a small tree, generally defined as one with a trunk diameter less than six inches, is often necessary when it is poorly located, invasive, or threatens nearby structures. While cutting the tree down is straightforward, the challenge is ensuring the permanent death of the root system to prevent future growth and suckering. Achieving this requires methodical application of mechanical and, most reliably, chemical methods to stop the tree from regenerating.
Girdling and Ring-Barking Techniques
Girdling is a non-chemical method that slowly kills a standing tree by interrupting its internal transport system. This technique involves removing a complete, continuous band of bark and the underlying cambium layer around the entire circumference of the trunk. The cambium produces the phloem tissue responsible for transporting sugars and carbohydrates from the leaves down to the roots.
When this ring is fully removed, the roots are starved because they can no longer receive energy from the canopy. The tree continues to draw water and nutrients upward through the xylem tissue, allowing the canopy to survive temporarily. This process is intentionally slow, often taking several months or even a few years for the roots to deplete their stored energy and die. The phloem must be completely severed across the entire trunk to prevent a healing bridge from reconnecting the system.
Immediate Removal and Stump Management
For immediate removal, the tree is felled, leaving a stump close to the ground. Cutting the trunk flush with the soil is not enough to kill the root system, especially for species that actively sprout. Stored energy in the roots triggers a survival mechanism, causing dormant buds at the stump or along shallow roots to vigorously produce new shoots, known as suckers. These sprouts quickly re-establish a canopy to resume photosynthesis.
To physically prevent this, the remaining stump and its root flare must be managed. One common approach is stump grinding, where a specialized machine chips the wood down to a depth of four to six inches below the soil line. Grinding removes the stump’s crown and the major root collar where most suckering originates, allowing the area to be covered with soil or turf. For very small trees, manual extraction is possible by digging around the trunk to expose and sever the major lateral roots with a root saw or axe.
Targeted Chemical Application for Root Death
Chemical herbicides offer the most dependable route to achieving permanent root death, especially for aggressive sprouting species. Systemic herbicides, such as glyphosate or triclopyr, are effective because they are absorbed by the plant and translocated down to the roots, killing the entire underground structure. Success requires applying the chemical directly to the living tissue—the cambium layer—immediately after the tree is cut.
The “cut stump” method involves painting or spraying a concentrated herbicide solution onto the fresh cut surface within minutes of felling. For stumps larger than four inches, the application should focus only on the outer ring of sapwood and cambium, since the dense heartwood does not actively transport the chemical. An alternative is the “hack and squirt” or “frill cut” method, which involves making downward-angled cuts around the standing trunk and applying the herbicide directly into the pockets. This technique is useful if the tree needs to be killed before felling, which can reduce the stress response that causes suckering.
Safety and Environmental Disposal
Tree removal, whether mechanical or chemical, requires strict adherence to safety protocols. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is necessary, including a helmet, protective eyewear, hearing protection when using power tools, and cut-resistant gloves. When handling herbicides, chemical-resistant gloves, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and closed-toe footwear are required.
After the tree is down, local ordinances must be consulted regarding the disposal of wood debris. Larger trunk sections can be repurposed as firewood, while smaller branches are often chipped for mulch or bundled for municipal collection. Herbicides must be handled and disposed of with environmental responsibility. Excess concentrated chemicals should never be poured down drains or into the ground; they must be stored securely or taken to a designated household hazardous waste collection site. Empty containers should be triple-rinsed, and the rinse water applied to the remaining stump or used in the next mixture, not discarded into the soil or waterways.