Lilacs, beautiful as they bloom, are quite a weed and very difficult to kill. If you want to clear an old lilac tree, it is not enough just to saw off the trunk at ground level. Instead, you also have to clear the roots - as thoroughly as possible so that there are no offspring.

If lilacs are to be permanently removed, the roots must be dug up

Root weed lilac - cutting the trunk is not enough

Many lilac varieties, especially Syringa vulgaris and its hybrids, develop countless root suckers from which the plant grows again and again - even when the main stem has long been removed. Instead, hundreds of root suckers now appear in its (former) vicinity, with which the plant wants to fight its own death. Many a gardener tries to finally defeat them with weed killers such as Roundup. However, it is better not to spread such a poison in your garden, as it also affects all other plants and living beings there - as well as the soil and groundwater. Quite apart from the fact that poisoning often doesn't kill the lilac. Instead, he drives out again and again.

Clearing lilacs together with the rootstock - this is how it works

If you want to get rid of the lilacs for good, the only solution is to clear the rootstock. It's tedious, but you'll have peace afterwards.

And that's how it works:

  • Saw off the trunk of the tree, but leave about 100 to 150 centimeters.
  • Now cut off the root area with a spade.
  • The radius should be about the same size as the former crown diameter.
  • Loosen the root ball with a digging fork.
  • Simply lift out smaller lilacs with the digging fork.
  • For larger specimens, use the trunk as a lever.
  • Move it back and forth in different directions.
  • If necessary, cut off roots with a spade or even an axe.
  • If the trunk is shaky enough and all the roots have been severed, simply pull it out.

Of course, you can't remove all the roots this way. You can cover the root area with a weed fleece (€21.70) and leave it there for a few months so that something doesn’t sprout from the leftovers. Since no more sunlight comes through, any lilac offspring don't stand a chance either.

tips

Sometimes it is advised to simply burn out tree stumps and their roots. We would also like to advise you against this, as the smoldering fire that is ignited cannot be reliably controlled. On the other hand, it is better to mill out the rootstock.

Category:

Trees