Hi, I'm new here and I'm hoping you all can help me identify what this shrub is in our backyard. We bought the house recently and we're interested in removing it and replacing it with raised beds and a vertical garden. Friends suggested it might be privet, though, and extremely difficult to remove.
Could you all help us identify it? And if it is privet, do you have any advice for how to remove it?
Thanks so much!!
Is this Privet?
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rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
I didn't answer, because I thought there were people who would know better than me, but yes I think so.
Here's a picture of privet:
https://www.crocus.co.uk/images/products ... rd2_lg.jpg
Privet is very invasive where I am and difficult to get rid of. Best is using a weed wrench or honeysuckle popper. Like honeysuckle, privet is pretty shallow rooted. So if it isn't a huge old plant and if the ground is moist, you can just pop it out from underneath. This gets rid of the whole thing, roots and all, with little environmental damage.
https://www.misterhoneysuckle.com/files/ ... PB4tFY.jpg
If you aren't completely opposed to using poison, you can chain saw the whole thing down, cutting it off 2-3" above ground level. Do this in spring while it is actively growing. Immediately paint all the cut stumps with roundup/ glyphosate. The reason for leaving the short stumps and doing it while the shrub is actively growing is that then the plant will uptake the glyphosate and circulate it to the roots. Painting the glyphosate on minimizes the damage to surrounding vegetation, soil, etc. I do not like poisons, but there are a few cases where perhaps the use of the poison is less environmentally destructive than the alternatives.
Here's a picture of privet:
https://www.crocus.co.uk/images/products ... rd2_lg.jpg
Privet is very invasive where I am and difficult to get rid of. Best is using a weed wrench or honeysuckle popper. Like honeysuckle, privet is pretty shallow rooted. So if it isn't a huge old plant and if the ground is moist, you can just pop it out from underneath. This gets rid of the whole thing, roots and all, with little environmental damage.
https://www.misterhoneysuckle.com/files/ ... PB4tFY.jpg
If you aren't completely opposed to using poison, you can chain saw the whole thing down, cutting it off 2-3" above ground level. Do this in spring while it is actively growing. Immediately paint all the cut stumps with roundup/ glyphosate. The reason for leaving the short stumps and doing it while the shrub is actively growing is that then the plant will uptake the glyphosate and circulate it to the roots. Painting the glyphosate on minimizes the damage to surrounding vegetation, soil, etc. I do not like poisons, but there are a few cases where perhaps the use of the poison is less environmentally destructive than the alternatives.
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ElizabethB
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2105
- Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 12:53 am
- Location: Lafayette, LA
I had a large Magnolia Fiscata growing near the garden. Roots were a problem. Cut most of the trunks away. Scored the remaining stubs and coated with full strength Brush and Shrub Round Up. The tree/shrub died and the remainder was much easier to remove. We had to dig around the root ball then used a ratchet strap and the 4 wheeler to remove the rest of the stump.
Good luck
Good luck