How to Kill Trees by Outside Drains

Tree growth near objects such as outside drains can lead to significant damage as the tree roots strengthen and apply increasing pressure to the drain assembly. Killing a tree takes days or weeks, depending on the size and overall health of the tree when you start the process. Since the tree sits next to a drain, you cannot apply liquid herbicide to the tree’s roots, and you must be careful to not spill any herbicide on the ground or down the drain, which will may affect plant growth where the drain empties.

Hammer
Chisel
Shovel
Ax
Hand saw
Salt
Liquid herbicide
Pruning shears
Paint brush
Paint
Drill
Shop vacuum

Instructions

- 1
  Strip off the tree’s bark around the entire trunk, using a hammer and chisel. This affects the tree’s ability to transport nutrients from the roots to the branches, helping weaken the tree as you work on killing it.
- 2
  Dig a trench in the ground around the tree. As you run into the tree’s roots, cut through them with an ax or a hand saw, further cutting off the nutrient flow to the tree.
- 3
  Pour salt into the trench you dug. Concentrate the salt around any exposed roots so the salt is pulled into the tree itself, further damaging it. This method may kill off vegetation near the tree and delay future vegetation growth in the area of the tree, but the salt will not affect the drain.
- 4
  Trim off the outer branches from the tree and spray herbicide on the wounds. Brush paint onto the wounds to slow healing and allow insects to invade the tree.
- 5
  Drill holes into the tree’s trunk and remove the sawdust from the holes with a shop vacuum. Spray herbicide into the holes in the trunk.

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