Epsom Salts to kill off roots of felled trees. - Ask Extension
Hi, asking for a friend who has found several articles about drilling holes in freshly cut tree stumps and filling them with epsom salts to kill off t...
Knowledgebase
Epsom Salts to kill off roots of felled trees. #627727
Asked April 26, 2020, 10:43 AM EDT
Hi, asking for a friend who has found several articles about drilling holes in freshly cut tree stumps and filling them with epsom salts to kill off the remaining root systems. I found several articles that cite this treatment as well but no .edu sites that touch on this one way or another.
I have read that maples (the tree in question is a sugar maple) will not sprout new growth from their root system after the tree has been cut so in my friends case the epsom salt trick is not necessary.
Any insights?
I have read that maples (the tree in question is a sugar maple) will not sprout new growth from their root system after the tree has been cut so in my friends case the epsom salt trick is not necessary.
Any insights?
Oakland County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello!
My search returned the same lack of specific results as yours did. If research has been done on this claim, it's not readily accessible. Because of that, this is not a recommendation I would support.
That said, it seems plausible that a concentrated application of Epsom salts could kill any remaining live stump cells in the immediate area of application, simply because the "salt" would dry out those cells. That might reduce sprouting. But since water and dissolved materials stop moving thru the plant shortly after the leafy portion is removed, I'm not sure how the Epsom salt solution would even reach the roots to kill them.
Without leaves to produce food, the root system will eventually die, so effort should be focused on the timely removal of any shoots that grow. Herbicide applied to the newly cut surface of the stump can limit shoot growth, or the shoots can simply be mechanically removed as they form. Shoots that form along the root system should also be removed promptly. Over time, the dead roots will rot.
I expect you found this article on Epsom salts in your search:
https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/403/2015/03/epsom-salts.pdf. It does a pretty good job discussing the various claims made for this product.
Regards,
My search returned the same lack of specific results as yours did. If research has been done on this claim, it's not readily accessible. Because of that, this is not a recommendation I would support.
That said, it seems plausible that a concentrated application of Epsom salts could kill any remaining live stump cells in the immediate area of application, simply because the "salt" would dry out those cells. That might reduce sprouting. But since water and dissolved materials stop moving thru the plant shortly after the leafy portion is removed, I'm not sure how the Epsom salt solution would even reach the roots to kill them.
Without leaves to produce food, the root system will eventually die, so effort should be focused on the timely removal of any shoots that grow. Herbicide applied to the newly cut surface of the stump can limit shoot growth, or the shoots can simply be mechanically removed as they form. Shoots that form along the root system should also be removed promptly. Over time, the dead roots will rot.
I expect you found this article on Epsom salts in your search:
https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/403/2015/03/epsom-salts.pdf. It does a pretty good job discussing the various claims made for this product.
Regards,
