Plant characteristics
The light-loving maple originated from North America. There it is widespread, grows up to 20 meters or more in height and can live up to a hundred years. In street plantings, trees live shorter lives, up to 30 years. The tree has a short trunk, branched at the base, with dark bark and cracks, which turn into deep grooves as the tree ages.
The crown of the tree is spreading, the leaves have jagged edges and a dark upper surface. In autumn the leaves turn yellow and reddish foliage may appear. Because of the leaves similar to those of an ash tree, this type of maple is also called Ash-like. The winged fruits ripen at the end of summer and remain on the branches until spring. The tree tolerates frosts of 35 and 40 degrees well, so it feels good even in the Urals and Siberia.
Source: Depositphotos
The characteristically shaped leaves and winged maple fruits are recognizable
Why does the American maple need to be destroyed?
Wood is a strong allergen with a wide distribution area. In addition to rapid spread, it has a number of disadvantages:
- It grows quickly and crowds out other plantings. At the same time, it is not the best neighbor for residential buildings - the branches and trunk are quite fragile and can fall on the roof in a strong wind. Fragile branches and trunks can fall on your home or other plantings at any time.
- During flowering, it releases a large amount of pollen, which can cause allergies in people.
- The crown grows very widely and is difficult to correct. The plant is not suitable for landscape design. The wide crown also shades other plantings.
- The root system and shoots spread quickly and widely, breaking the asphalt and preventing other plants from growing.
- Roots and decaying leaves release toxins that inhibit the growth of other plants.
- The wood is brittle and therefore not suitable for construction. Only wooden boxes or household items are made from American maple wood: vases, sculptures, knife handles.
The tree has its positive aspects, but they are more suitable for its growth in the wild. Spreading crowns often attract residents. Birds build nests on the branches and eat the fruits of the tree. Lionfish and squirrels love to eat. Scientists use maple to breed new varieties of wood. For example, as a result of selection, the decorative maple Flamingo appeared.
If you do not want to destroy the tree and still decide to leave the maple on the site, it will not require special care. In the spring it can be fed with potassium and sodium fertilizers and watered periodically. The watering rate is 15 liters for old trees and twice as much for young trees. In summer, it is advisable to weed and loosen the soil around the tree and remove side branches.
We still recommend destroying the surrounding shoots like weeds, if you do not plan to propagate maples over the entire area of the site.
Source: Depositphotos
Maple seeds take root well in the soil, many of them germinate
Disadvantages of maple
The American tree has quite attractive foliage and wood that is used under certain conditions. But in our conditions, the question increasingly arises of how to destroy maple trees in the garden. First of all, its rapid spread due to natural sowing - leave the area for a couple of years, and, with a high degree of probability, this plant will appear there.
Read here - Indoor maple: care and cultivation at home. Tips for choosing a seedling and planting (115 photos + video)
The tree actively produces pollen, so allergy sufferers often begin to feel discomfort in the presence of maple. And given its widespread distribution, it is almost impossible to hide.
As already mentioned, maple is not whimsical, which means it will find the strength to germinate in any conditions. Regular cutting down does not always help.
Also, it is worth mentioning about the fragile structure - the presence of any buildings nearby is categorically not recommended. Finally, it is worth mentioning the crown of the tree - it grows chaotically, and frequent pruning will be required for a neat appearance.
How to get rid of American maple
One of the methods of dealing with maple is prevention. The plant easily takes root in empty areas where the wind can blow lionfish, so plant the entire area with useful plants. If you have desert areas, check them regularly and eliminate any strange weeds or growths.
Dealing with weeds and small trees is, of course, easier than with plantings that take up half the garden. So if the trees are small, you can try simple gentle methods first:
- Apply salt to the cut piece of wood. The layer must be thick - salt inhibits the growth of the tree and inhibits the root system. Cover the cut with plastic to ensure a seal. You can cover the cut with light-proof material. The method does not harm other trees or soil.
- Bury the tree stump with plenty of crushed stone or soil. If possible, concrete the area.
- Remove the rhizome and above-ground parts of the tree from the ground. If the root is deep, it may be worth using agricultural machinery. (Read about how to remove tree stumps on your property here).
How can you get rid of maple trees on your property?
The vitality of maple sometimes surprises even the most experienced owners of the areas where this tree grows. Maple is often compared to a weed that is not so easy to remove. For some it is an ornamental tree, but for others it is like a weed in the garden.
The first and easiest option for dealing with maple is salt. This method of destroying maple is inexpensive, simple and quite effective. The probability that the tree will disappear is fifty percent. It all depends on the age of the maple, the soil and your efforts.
In order to get rid of a maple tree using salt, after cutting down the tree trunk on the stump, you need to make a deep cross-shaped cut and pour it with salt in a 1:1 ratio. It is also recommended to water some of the root trees with diesel fuel in the same ratio. But the procedure must be repeated several times for a good result.
Another inexpensive way to control green plants is with a black bag. This option is more labor-intensive, but gives a greater percentage of effectiveness after application. The tree also needs to be cut down first. Then you need to put a black bag on the stump and secure it firmly. The main thing is that the bag is dense enough, does not allow light to pass through, and does not tear. This technique is best suited to a tree with one stump and no shoots.
Herbicides to the rescue. Strong chemicals have always remained one of the best options for destroying maples on the site. Yes, this option for pest control is quite expensive, but it is very effective and fast-acting. You need to choose a proven, potent type. Herbicides are most often diluted with water and watered on the roots, treated with tree bark and lubricated with cut hemp. The main thing is to carefully read the instructions and follow their points.
You can also often hear that you can get rid of a maple tree on your property by simply uprooting it. But we do not recommend starting with such radical actions, because the result may be the opposite. It is best to first prepare and “bark” (clean the tree of bark) along the entire trunk and large shoots. It is best to do this in the spring so that the plant dries out over the summer. Afterwards you can start cutting down and uprooting the stumps. This option of disposal takes longer, but is also reliable.
You can also get rid of maple trees on your property using an alternative method by blocking the air. A tree grows when it breathes. To do this, you need to pave the roots of the tree, blocking their access to air and water. The area near the trunk and roots can be filled with concrete. This method will take effect within a few weeks. This option can be used if in the future there will be a path or asphalt in place of the maple tree, because the place is concreted.
The access of air and moisture can also be limited using mulch. This option is considered the most environmentally friendly and affordable. The maple trunk and the area near the roots are covered with mulch. Its functions can be performed by gravel, pebbles, sawdust, branches, pine needles or hay. The mulch layer should be more than fifteen centimeters and fit tightly to the tree and trunk. This method of destroying a maple, of course, will not completely block the entry of moisture and air into the roots, but it will have enough strength to destroy the life of the maple in some time. At this point, you can gradually cut out the sprouts, remove branches and parts of the trunk, and dead roots.
It is worth noting that you can get rid of maple trees on your property by contacting experts who specialize in removing unwanted trees. This method is used when it is impossible to cope with the problem on your own. Special companies always have equipment for working with trees, special means for their destruction, as well as experience in combating unwanted plants on the site.
How to defeat young shoots
If young growth of American maple has appeared on the territory, and you are not a supporter of the use of chemicals, you can use mulching. Soft types of mulch will not help in this case - you must use bark or sawdust, and the mulch must be at least 5 cm thick.
A good result can be obtained by covering the ground with a covering material - spunbond, lutrasil or any dark-colored geotextile will do. Ordinary cardboard will do the job well. Cover the ground and reinforce the covering around the perimeter, as well as in several places in the center, and leave for at least a month. This method is best used after harvest or in the fall. But here it is necessary to take into account that in addition to the maple, other plants will also die, so if it is, for example, a lawn, then it will have to be re-sowed.
Good results can be obtained by using EM drugs, for example, “Shine-3”. Sprinkle the area with overgrown growth with the preparation, carefully reading the instructions. Cover this area with covering material. Be careful with nearby plantings; if they come into contact with them or the soil next to them, the plants may die. The drug is harmless to the environment; moreover, after the period of its influence ends, you will receive a wonderful area ready for planting any plants.
Maples have a large crown that can shade most of the area
Chemical methods of controlling ash maple
Using table salt
One of the cheapest reagents for controlling plants is table salt. You can purchase an unrefined coarse-grained mineral; it is sold for livestock farms.
Holes are drilled into the stump to a depth of 10...12 cm. It is most convenient to use a percussion Ø 12...20 mm. For thick stumps, you need to drill several holes; they are placed closer to the periphery. If the trunk is no more than 12 cm, it is enough to drill one.
They are filled with salt. Leaving a little space, hammer in a cork (can be made from a branch of a given tree).
Application of mineral fertilizers to destroy maple
Experience shows that any type of mineral fertilizer can be detrimental to a tree. You just need to use them in sufficient quantities. High salt concentrations contribute to wood decomposition and tree death.
Proceed by analogy with how the use of salt is described.
- Drill holes.
- Fertilizer is added.
- Traffic jams.
In practice, it has been found that the cheapest option is to use sodium or ammonium nitrate. The use of urea gives good results.
Mineral salts burn the inside, they spread inside the roots. After a year and a half, the maple turns into rotten wood, which can be used as organic fertilizer.
Some gardeners use a similar method without cutting down the trunk. Holes are drilled in the spring. They try to deepen it to 15...20 cm. The diameter can be made only 10...12 mm.
They are placed at a height convenient for using an electric drill (80...12 cm from the ground). Drilling is performed with a slope, directing them down. All that remains is to fill in the granules or pour the concentrate inside, and then hammer in a tight plug.
After such treatment, by autumn, trees whose age does not exceed 7...10 years die. For more powerful maples, the operation is repeated a year later - not a single tree has survived double treatment.
Using pesticides to control American maple
Chemical weed control products are excellent for eliminating maple weeds. Herbicides: Roundup, Tornado, Ground and many others are excellent for killing annuals. It is enough to spray the green foliage. Subsequently, toxic substances will penetrate inside the plant.
First the green part will die, later the poison will penetrate into the root part. The weedy maple seedling will die within 20…30 days.
Trees are treated differently. The tree is cut down, and a concentrated solution is applied to the remaining stump. In two to three months the root part will die off. It is uprooted or burned on the spot. Sometimes you just have to use firewood.
You can find other ways to remove maple from a site, but their effectiveness will be lower. In this case, the cost of work will be higher. It is important to remove trees without polluting the surrounding environment.
Destruction of the American maple.
There is a chemical that is used to destroy trees and shrubs. This drug is called an arboricide. It is worth saying that coniferous trees are less sensitive to it. Arboricide is commonly used to remove trees and shrubs.
Chemical methods of destroying trees - instructions with pictures.
How to get rid of American maple?
American maple is a very tenacious plant, moreover, it constantly reproduces (we have one growing in our garden, new trees are constantly appearing around it). If you don’t want to use chemicals, cut down the maple itself, pull out the shoots around it, cover the stump with firewood and set it on fire. If it survives after this, you can try cutting off the sprouts or watering it with water and salt (but this method is questionable and not safe for the soil).
Personally, we destroy the sprouts, but do not touch the main tree - at least some green spot.
How to get rid of American maple?
The American maple is not so easy to destroy if it decides to settle on the site. Burning and root cutting are not always effective in controlling American maple.
Friends managed to get rid of the American maple growth by watering the trees at the roots with a solution of salt and the drug “Tornado”. To a bucket of water you need to add 1 kilogram of salt and the weed killer “Tornado” in the proportions as indicated in the instructions. The method worked; the American maple was eradicated from the site.
Experienced summer residents highly recommend an effective remedy for combating American maple - the drug “Roundup”. Roundup is an all-purpose weed control product. The drug affects not only the shoots and leaves, but also the root system of the plant. It is necessary to spray the leaves and shoots of the maple with the preparation, as indicated in the instructions. The tree will die 2 weeks after treatment.
