The Best Way to Kill Privet

Privets are invasive shrubs or trees that spread over the yard through seeds eaten by wildlife. Left to grow in the yard, privet trees grow up to 30 feet tall. Their dense foliage crowds out native plants growing near creeks, in forests and within the landscape. Gardeners may see privets sprout up in areas that have moist soils; however, this weed survives dry areas. It is important to kill privets to prevent them from competing with native plant species.

Shovel
Garden fork
Saw
Landscape bar
Hatchet
Herbicide

Instructions

- 1
  Water the area around a small privet to moisten the soil. Pull out the privet. Gardeners may also press a shovel or garden fork 3 to 4 inches from the base and 6 inches deep to push the privet's root system through the soil.
- 2
  Cut the side branches of privet saplings that have a trunk diameter of less than 5 cm. Remove the top of the privet so there is 36 inches left of trunk in the soil by cutting through the diameter of the plant with a saw. Use the top portion of the stump as leverage to push the tap roots through the soil with a shovel or landscape bar.
- 3
  Cut around the trunk with a hatchet to control privet shrubs or trees with a trunk diameter of more than 5 cm. The cuts must go 1/2 inch into the trunk and 1 to 2 inches wide and 1 to 2 inches in length. Make the cuts all the way around the trunk.
- 4
  Spray the cuts made into the trunk with an herbicide that contains glyphosate. The water-conducting tissues in the trunk transport the herbicide to the root system and kill off the entire tree or shrub.
- 5
  Cut any privet stumps regrowing in the yard, using a saw. Make the cut 2 to 3 inches above ground level and even. Spray the stump with an herbicide that contains glyphosate to kill the root system. Avoid spraying an excessive amount of herbicide on the stump to prevent herbicide runoff that kills surrounding plants.

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