best way to kill a large tree without cutting it down?

Its not a good idea, I know there is a better spot out there.

Maybe I missed it, but has the type of tree been mentioned yet? It could make a big difference if the location is suitable or the best possible location even if the tree were to be cut down.

Hickory of some sort I believe. It's a hardwood forest. It's only one of many.

why do you want to kill them if you dont want to move them???

Brick Top said:

Maybe I missed it, but has the type of tree been mentioned yet? It could make a big difference if the location is suitable or the best possible location even if the tree were to be cut down.

Click to expand...

Good Point, Bricktop.
I have tried planting several different things in and around oak trees without success. I remember from plant bio that the roots of oaks create a chemical to discourage other plant growth, had to prove it myself, I guess. Even after cutting the oaks down a while back, the plants near it aren't doing as well as others.

Hops

Originally Posted by Brick Top Maybe I missed it, but has the type of tree been mentioned yet? It could make a big difference if the location is suitable or the best possible location even if the tree were to be cut down.

Click to expand...

Hopsnmalt said:

Good Point, Bricktop.
I have tried planting several different things in and around oak trees without success. I remember from plant bio that the roots of oaks create a chemical to discourage other plant growth, had to prove it myself, I guess. Even after cutting the oaks down a while back, the plants near it aren't doing as well as others.

Hops

Click to expand...

A good while back someone asked me why one of their backyard plots were going well and another wasn't. He described the differences and said how the one that wasn't doing well were near some trees, but they weren't really shading them. I said, the trees are pines, aren't they? They were ... and pines are very acidic and the needles they drop are very acidic and the soil around them becomes very acidic and the plants were suffering from problems of acidity, pH problems.

Planting near some types of trees or removing the tree(s) and then planting there sometimes will require a good bit of soil augmentation, even in some cases the removal of some soil and new soil added, for plants to do well there.

As someone who's job it is to take down tree after tree lemme tell you there is no easy way of killing a tree without cutting it down (not a large one anyway). If you do manage to kill it it isn't gonna be in the amount of time you're looking for.let's assume you do kill it, then what? A tree that large even without leaves can still make a lot of shade depending on species. When's it finally gonna fall? Maybe one day while you're tending to the garden? Either cut it down or find another spot will be your best bet.

jimmy jones said:

As someone who's job it is to take down tree after tree lemme tell you there is no easy way of killing a tree without cutting it down (not a large one anyway). If you do manage to kill it it isn't gonna be in the amount of time you're looking for.let's assume you do kill it, then what? A tree that large even without leaves can still make a lot of shade depending on species. When's it finally gonna fall? Maybe one day while you're tending to the garden? Either cut it down or find another spot will be your best bet.

Click to expand...

And if someone is going to fell a tree it's better to cut down a live one than one that's dead, especially if dead for a while. Many people have been hurt or killed cutting down dead trees when an upper limb broke from the movement of the tree being cut and because of the noise of a chainsaw the crack of the breaking limb was not heard and the person or people below did not know they needed to move and move quickly.

asdf1 said:

This thread is making me HATE living in a damn suburb!!!!! sure there's a tree in front of everyone's house but there's no forest, an the trees rarely get above 20 feet....

Click to expand...

Don't get me wrong, I love living in a rural area with lots of woods and lots filled with trees but believe me, it's not Nirvana. Not counting my losing 27 large pines to black turpentine beetles we have had several hurricanes and storms with very powerful straight line winds come through and there was a real mess to clean up afterwords. After one hurricane my neighbors and I cut up 7 trees that fell on one neighbor's house. After one storm with high straight line winds the private road I live on, a rather snaky loop of sorts, had 5 large trees blocking us in. If there had been a fire or medical emergency someone would have been in trouble because until we were able to cut them up and move them no emergency vehicles could have gotten in the place. Every year I have lived here at least one or two dead trees have fallen and blocked the road. You go to leave or you come home and find yourself blocked ... so you grab a chainsaw and cut it up and clear the way. When there is a storm trees along the lake shore where there has been erosion around the roots will fall into the lake and there will be whole trees floating around for boaters to watch out for. Sometimes they have been dead for years and most most or all limbs and the trunk will suck up water and be partially submerged and one will be hit by a boat now and then. If one floats to shore and gets hung up with your dock and the shore that's always really fun, trying to cut up a tree in what might be shoulder deep water so you can use your dock.

Big trees in large numbers are great and pretty to look at when they are healthy and standing where they should be .... but believe me, they can become a major pain in the butt at times.

Yeah I completely agree bt. Dead trees are a way bigger hazard than live ones. Especially if you're the guy that has to climb the damn thing. If the op doesn't have experience doing tree work (much less dropping a large one alone) I strongly suggest finding a new spot.

Safety first. Safety first then teamwork.

Get a plastic butter knife and just hack away lol

Ok that was just dumb.

jimmy jones said:

Ok that was just dumb.

Click to expand...

He's a one hit wonder.

jimmy jones said:

Ok that was just dumb.

Click to expand...

As dumb as it sounded you might be surprised at the dumb things people will do to take down a tree. I knew one clown who grabbed a lawn chair, a 12 gauge shotgun and a few boxes of deer slugs and took down a half large pine tree by blowing chunks of it away one shot at a time until it fell.

BT is right about pines..... azaleas, which love acidic soil, thrive around pine trees.... in fact, many southern homes are landscaped this way.

Brick Top said:

As dumb as it sounded you might be surprised at the dumb things people will do to take down a tree. I knew one clown who grabbed a lawn chair, a 12 gauge shotgun and a few boxes of deer slugs and took down a half large pine tree by blowing chunks of it away one shot at a time until it fell.

Click to expand...

sounds fun............

woodsmaneh! said:

I grow organic and have for the last 10 years and destroying the trees makes no sense, as long as your plants get 3 hours of direct sunlight thats all they need to grow well and you will not need to water them as often.

I don't know where you are but north america is having a rash of tree issues and everyone is looking for dead or dieing trees to see if it has hit them yet. Pine Beatles and Ash Boarer ect. might bring you some unwanted attention.

Click to expand...

hmm..3 hours of direct sunlight....

where i live we have 12/12 hrs all year long.... my plants get at least 8 to 10 direct sunlight, and the rest is somewhat shady,but they keep seeing light for the complete 12 hrs..however as stated before...they are getting at least 8 to 10 hrs direct....is this bad for them?