Tree ringing to kill encroaching walnut trees??

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by Arby, Jun 2, 2008.

  1. Arby

    Arby Junior Member

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    Over the years, the neighborhood squirrels have planted a number of walnuts in my yard they gathered from across the street. Initially, I thought it was great they'd plant a food producing tree for me. :lol: Problem is though, they planted some of them at the base of other fruit trees and I have let the walnut trees grow big enough that they can't simply be pulled up by the roots. I'd just dig the walnut trees up and transplant them but, being so close to the other trees, I'm afraid I'd loose both trees...or at least damage the trees I most care about.

    So, I'm wondering if I could kill these walnut trees by removing a circular strip of bark around the circumference of their base then, after they die, cut them down with a saw?
     
  2. SueinWA

    SueinWA Junior Member

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    Re: Tree ringing to kill encroaching walnut trees??

    Yes, you can do that. Just make sure you get ALL of the bark, right down to solid inner wood. And do it as low as you can get. I've dug around the base of a few trees and peeled the bark down below the soil line.

    Sue
     
  3. Arby

    Arby Junior Member

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    Re: Tree ringing to kill encroaching walnut trees??

    Thanks, Sue. :D
     
  4. colours

    colours Junior Member

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    Re: Tree ringing to kill encroaching walnut trees??

    apparently walnut timber costs about $2000 per cubic foot, maybe you should let them grow :wink: Or maybe that was native walnut... Not sure. :?
     
  5. Arby

    Arby Junior Member

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    Re: Tree ringing to kill encroaching walnut trees??

    Wow, $2000 a cubic ft would be nice. :shock:

    Also, does anyone know if ringing would kill the suckers coming up from plum trees?

    I let my plum suckers grow for privacy screening but now I need the garden space. I'd dig them up but I'm afraid their root systems are too well established to easily do that.
     
  6. SueinWA

    SueinWA Junior Member

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    Re: Tree ringing to kill encroaching walnut trees??

    If you can dig a hole under them, and have access to a heavy vehicle, maybe you could work a chain around them and just pull them out.

    Sue
     
  7. Arby

    Arby Junior Member

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    Well, I ringed the walnut tree shortly after starting this thread and it was not phased. I was hoping it wouldn't come back this spring but the thing is budding out again. Looks healthy. I ringed it down to the wood, and the ring was about an inch tall. Any ideas? I can't bear to use a herbicide.
     
  8. butchasteve

    butchasteve Junior Member

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    i know i'll cop some flak for it. but using a drill and injecting the tiniest bit of undiluted herbicide would do the trick. that herbicide would be contained in the tree and when removed would not effect your plums. the downside is that you would actually have to handle the herbicide itself. so even then its risky business, especially considering the viscosity of pure herbicides (hard to pour and handle effectively). then you have the issue of storage, contaminated gloves, and contaminated water after washing of said bottles, gloves, clothes etc...

    hmm best off getting out there with a handsaw and cut the buggers out.
     
  9. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    How big are the trees? I'd just cut them down and if they regrow, then keep cutting them and find a use for the cuttings. If they're big enough, put deep cuts across the stump.

    Will walnuts regrow from a stump anyway?
     
  10. Arby

    Arby Junior Member

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    Thanks, you two.

    I could very easily cut these trees down but I assumed they'd just come right back...and keep secreting from their roots what ever walnut trees secrete that is bad for other food crops. Or did I just dream about these walnut secretions?

    At any rate, these trees are at most, 2" in diameter and about 10' tall.
     
  11. Dreamie

    Dreamie Junior Member

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    Are you able to cut them back and then set up a light trap?

    Cut them back to the stump and then cover with cardboard, newspaper, mulch etc (could cause problems for fruit tree with stump rot). Or wrap a garbage bag around the base of the fruit tree covering the stumps if they can't get any light they won't keep growing.
     
  12. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    Some trees do and some don't. In the first instance I'd be wanting to know if walnut resprouts. Do you know what kind of walnut it is?

    I like the suggestion of cutting really low and excluding light.
     
  13. Arby

    Arby Junior Member

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    Thanks, Pebble & Dreamie. I'll cut first and if it comes back, I'll cut again then cover.

    As far as type of walnut, I do not know.
     
  14. sweetpea

    sweetpea Junior Member

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    I was going to say, when I first got my string trimmer/weed whacker I accidentally stripped off a chunk of one of my young fruit trees around the trunk, and I was stricken. I covered it loosely to protect it from the sun, I fussed over it all summer, and it seems to be fine. It wasn't phased either.

    If you keep cutting them off at ground level, they will eventually die. They need leaves to feed the roots, and if you keep the leaves off by cutting it back, it won't make it. But walnut trees make really bad companion plants for other plants and trees, so you don't want them growing near other trees. You can also put a board over where you cut it, weigh it down with a brick or two to block out light. Just stay at it.
     
  15. sweetpea

    sweetpea Junior Member

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    Actually, here's something I had happen accidentally, and I've been thinking of how else I could use this. I use pine pellets for my cat's potty box. They eventually turn into sawdust that is permeated with urine that eventually smells like ammonia. I put it in a paper grocery bag and set it out in my garden intending to add it to the compost pile, but it sat on some weeds for a couple of days, and when I lifted the bag up the weeds were black and squished and just amazingly done for! I think the ammonia coming through the paper bag and the weight of it, just did them in. If you have any compost, leaves permeate them with urine, fill a large paper bag and set it on that spot where you cut the walnut down. I'll bet it won't make it. :)
     

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