how do i get rid of holly bushes

Can you use stump killer on Holly bushes?

Can you pour bleach on a stump?

Can you kill Holly stumps?

Can you remove Holly bushes?

Can copper nails kill a shrub?

What will kill holly bushes?

Answer: Holly shrubs would need to be treated like trees, in which case you would cut the shrubs down to stumps and then treat the fresh cuts with Remedy Ultra Herbicide. For small volume applications, you would use 25-38.4 oz per gallon of water, being sure to get the outer layers and cambium of the stump.

Do holly bushes have deep roots?

Holly tree roots grow very deep into the dirt. To be specific, the roots can grow about seventeen to twenty-five inches underneath the dirt. This is pretty far into the ground when you think about it. If you look at the type of root system the holly plant has, it is no wonder the tree roots are so deep.

How do I get rid of holly bush stumps?

How To Remove A Holly Tree Stump And RootsWear protective clothing.Prune back the tree.Cut the tree down.Shovel around the stump.Separate and remove the roots and stump.Clean up.

Will a holly tree regrow from a stump?

If your tree is healthy it's almost certain that it will resprout from the stump you leave. But it is also true that these new sprouts will not be as firmly attached to the trunk as the original limbs were. For that reason, don't let your holly grow more than ten or fifteen feet tall.

Will holly grow back if cut down?

Hollies are very tolerant of being pruned and will often re-sprout even if they are cut to the ground. Many people do not prune their hollies as they like the symmetrical shape they naturally assume. However, they tolerate pruning very well. Wait to prune your holly until it begins to show new growth in the spring.

What kills holly tree roots?

You can drill multiple holes into the stump and fill them with chemical poisons, or, alternately, as Bob Vila suggests, fill the holes with Epsom salt to slowly kill the stump. It'll take a long time for the poisons to take effect and rot the root, but it's a less labor-intensive method for stump removal.

Do holly trees damage foundations?

Normally they cause no harm when planted 5 or more feet from foundations. If you become concerned, periodically run the blade of a flat-bladed spade down into the ground along the side of the house to sever the tree roots. Make the cuts straight down about a foot deep into the ground.

What can I replace holly bushes with?

After all, trying to keep a holly bush at an eight-foot height, when it really wants to be 35 feet high, is going to take some effort. Now, what is a good replacement? You could try a windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), Lomandra breeze grass (Lomandra longifolia), or a Calamondin (Citrus mitis).

Can you dig up a holly bush?

Dig at least 6 inches (15 cm.) from the perimeter of where the leaves end and down about a foot (31 cm.) or so. Holly shrubs have rather shallow root systems, so you do not have to dig deeply to reach the bottom of the root ball. Once the holly shrub is dug out, quickly move the shrub to its new location.

Do holly trees damage foundations?

Normally they cause no harm when planted 5 or more feet from foundations. If you become concerned, periodically run the blade of a flat-bladed spade down into the ground along the side of the house to sever the tree roots. Make the cuts straight down about a foot deep into the ground.

Are holly bushes invasive?

Holly Isn't Noxious, But it is Invasive Very few culturally and economically significant species receive the noxious weed designation. Although not listed as noxious, holly is widely recognized as an invasive plant in our region. New holly plants can quickly dominate the under story of our forests.

How much space does a holly bush need?

To plant holly, dig a hole two to three times the width of the plant's root ball. Place the plant in the hole with the top of the root ball level with or slightly higher than the surrounding soil. Allow at least 5 feet between smaller varieties and up to 25 feet for large, tree-type varieties.

How to make a ring around a holly bush?

Create a ring around the holly bush by pushing the shovel into the ground 2 feet from the stump of the holly bush. Dig 1 to 2 feet down into the ground within this ring around the bush stump, using the end of the shovel to cut through any roots you encounter.

Can you cut holly bushes?

Prickly and prevalent, holly bushes return with a vengeance if you simply cut the top off the bush. To completely rid yourself of the bush, you must dig it up. This method, though requiring more physical labor, produces more instantaneous results than using a weed killer on the stump. Digging up the plant will protect nearby plants from damage incurred from using a herbicide.

What is holly bush used for?

If you have a holly bush that you want to remove, whether to get rid of it or to transplant it, it can be done successfully.

How to get roots out of a bush?

As you feel large roots, adjust your digging to get those roots, especially if you are transplanting it. Grab hold of your bush, begin to rock it and then pull it out of the soil.

Is it better to transplant a holly bush or dig through it?

Wet soil is easier to dig through than hard, dry soil. In addition, if you are transplanting your holly bush, water will hydrate it before the stressful move. There are over 300 varieties of holly bushes, about 20 of which are native to the United States. In addition, if you are transplanting your holly bush, water will hydrate it before ...

Can you transplant a Holly bush?

In addition, if you are transplanting your holly bush, water will hydrate it before the stressful move.

Who is Melissa Lewis?

Melissa Lewis is a former elementary classroom teacher and media specialist. She has also written for various online publications. Lewis holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

What to do if holly bush fails?

If the first attempt fails, cut through some of the roots of the holly bush with a hatchet to reduce the resistance, and try pulling again.

How far away from a house can a Holly bush grow?

Holly bushes grow to be quite large. A bush less than two feet from a house can threaten the foundation, given enough time. Furthermore, holly bushes grow back even after all their branches are cut off.

What is Paul Dohrman's background?

Paul Dohrman's academic background is in physics and economics. He has professional experience as an educator, mortgage consultant, and casualty actuary. His interests include development economics, technology-based charities, and angel investing.

How do I kill and dig up old holly bushes?

When we first moved in, they were growing as tall as the roof line. I cut them WAY back. They were probably 2 feet tall after I hacked them down. I shaped them into triangles thinking I was being 'artsy.' Well these stupid bushes haven't produced the first red berry in the 5 years I've been at this house. I don't trim them very often because I don't have the time and they hurt! Also, the roots choke just about anything else I try to plant in this particular bed. I hate these bushes. What is the point of suffering with hollies if they aren't going to make pretty red berries? I have tried to kill several offshoots of these bushes with Round-Up. The MOST it does is turn the edge of the leaves brown. Sometimes, not even that. So, what would be the easiest way to dig them up. They are foundation plantings, so they are pretty close to my house.

How close to house do I plant Holly bushes?

It is hard to believe that people don't realize that these plants will grow up and don't need to be less than 2 feet from the house!

What shrubs survived the Katrina flood?

BUT, at the house we had on the river (destroyed by Katrina), there were holly shrubs with trunks about 5" diameter, kept the size of the large camellias also planted near the house. All of these survived the salty flood waters without a stutter. They are still on the vacant lot, and far be it from me to try to dig them up. :)

Do hollies have fruit?

There are many, many types of hollies. Some are grown for their fruit (berries) and others have no fruit at all. And, as Josh mentioned, of the fruiting varieties some have male/female plants and produce berries only on the female (determinate/non-determinate ????)

Do camphor trees come back?

All your experiences remind me of the agony we are going through trying to rid ourselves of some darned CAMPHOR TREES. Those roots WILL come back. Each seed eaten by a bird will be pooped into the lawn somewhere, and I make sure I pull up seedlings before we cut the grass each week.

What is the difference between American Holly and Japanese Holly?

Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata, USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8) is an easy-to-grow broadleaf evergreen, with a smaller maximum size of 10 feet high by 8 feet wide, with white flowers.

How to get rid of holly suckers?

Otherwise, trim the suckers off with gardening shears, making the cuts as level against the base of the trunk as you can. You can also try gardening products that are designed to eliminate the suckers without harming the plants.

Why do Holly trees have suckers?

Types of Holly Suckers. Many plants and trees spread by suckering, but suckers can also emerge because of stress. These could be due to damaged roots, which can cause the suckers to come from the trunk's base. If the suckers are up higher, they are often referred to as "watersprouts.".

How big is a Japanese Holly?

Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata, USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8) is an easy-to-grow broadleaf evergreen, with a smaller maximum size of 10 feet high by 8 feet wide, with white flowers. Advertisement.

What is the color of American Holly?

Its shiny, dark green leaves have sharp spines, with orange, red or yellow berries that are poisonous, plus small, whitish flowers. American Holly (Ilex opaca, USDA plant hardiness zones 5 to 9) looks a bit like English holly, but its leaves are not as glossy. Two well-known cultivars are 'Greenleaf' and 'Carnival.'.

Why do suckers grow?

These sometimes show up where there are cracks or wounds from damage or pruning. Other reasons for sucker growth include pests or diseases. Boring insects can get into trees and plants, affecting their ability to get water and nutrients.

How tall does a weed grow?

Advertisement. This slow-growing evergreen can grow up to 50 feet tall by 15 feet wide. It may grow as a multi-stemmed thicket or a single-trunk tree.

Can you use stump killer on Holly bushes?

This is from my first-hand-experience – chemical treatment of the stumps with stump killer is not very effective. We cut down the holly bushes to the ground, drilled holes in the main stump, and applied stump killer. As you can see, the holly is definitely re-sprouting from its root system as well as the old stump.

Can you pour bleach on a stump?

For example, I’ve heard it suggested that pouring bleach and salt on the open stump and roots is a good method. This is not good advice if there is anything growing around the bushes that you wish to keep alive and/or if you plan to replant the area after the stumps are removed.

Can you kill Holly stumps?

There are several home remedies for the chemical treatment of holly stumps to kill of the roots. Much of this advice would also damage the soil around the stump, so if you’re planning on replanting the area, be very careful of what advice you take, and don’t do anything that sounds ‘too good to be true.’

Can you remove Holly bushes?

Holly bushes are notoriously difficult to remove. If you leave even a piece of a root in the ground, it may re-sprout and soon you’ll have new holly bushes and potentially even more growth in different places than you started with.

Can copper nails kill a shrub?

I’ve also heard of utilizing copper nails to kill off the shrub. The theory is that the copper will be drawn into the root system and eventually kill the remaining plant. It is doubtful that enough copper would be absorbed and transported into the plant and roots to kill it off. There is an excellent explanation of the chemistry here: http://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-2347,00.html