How do I kill this salt cedar?

Question

The front yard of my New Mexico (USDA zone 7a) house has a salt cedar (Tamarix ramosissima), which is growing like a huge bush. Its salt uptake appears to be preventing anything else in the vicinity from growing. I would like to kill it so that other things can grow in the front yard, and also so I can replace it with a large fruit-bearing shade tree.

I cut it down to a stump this spring, but to my horror, while I was puzzling over what to do after that, it has grown back to its full 6-foot-tall size by now. I am amazed by its growth!

Some people recommend drilling the stump and dumping glyphosate into the holes. Other people recommend burning out the stump and roots. What would work? For stumps in general, and for an incredibly tenacious salt cedar in particular?

Answer 1

Firstly, you will probably want to cut the plant off at stump level again. I don't think burning stumps is very effective, or practical. I usually remove the crown, and kill the roots, but there are options.

When I deal with this type of thing, I find that I get great results (but use a lot of energy) using a stump grinder and some full-strength glyphosate. (Note: you shouldn't 'dump' herbicides on stumps. The chemicals are toxic to the environment, and should only be used when called for, and then used as sparingly as possible, only treating where necessary.)

I grind the stump out, dig and remove the chips, drill holes in all the roots larger than 1 1/2 in., and fill with 50% glyphosate. I then (optional) plug the holes with tight-fitting twigs, to minimize soil contamination. Then I put a thick layer of brown corrugated cardboard over the area (just in case) and refill with topsoil.

If you cannot use a stump grinder, and aren't apposed to some physical work, I would dig around the stump, to a level below the crown, and chop it off at the roots (I use an axe). The rest follows as above.

If you don't mind the stump, you can treat with glyphosate and cover with 6-8 mil black contractors plastic. I usually cover that with a mulch, for appearance, but that isn't necessary. If you treat with roundup, the stump will die within a couple months, and don't forget to remove the layer of plastic. You can also leave out the glyphosate, but in that case, the stump may remain alive for more than a season.

Once the stump is dead, you can remove the plastic and cover with organic mulch. This will aid in decomposition (which can take quite a while in salt cedars). Drilling holes in the stump, and applying organic nitrogen also help.

Another option is to spray roundup (not concentrate) on the foliage before cutting, wait until there is complete death, and cut to a stump. The plant, if it regrows, will be very weak. You can put plastic on he stump to stop emergence.

Answer 2

In the end, here's what I did:

1. I hacked it down to a stump again.
2. I poisoned the cut stump with Triclopyr.
3. That killed it stone dead, so I had a guy with a bobcat pull out the stump while he was doing other work on the front yard.

Answer 3

I am a bit confused. I'm pretty sure that the Salt Cedar or Tamarisk chinensis and that no other plant (that I know) 'eats salt' and most plants do poorly with any salt in their environment. This plant is one of the few plants that can thrive in salty soils!! It's only problem is that it can have aggressive roots, proliferates and is pushing out native species, because it is so very hardy and very little competition. Spring through summer flowering period, sounds like a dream of a tree in an environment I imagine is pretty tough? Or do you have an oasis where you live?