How to kill a laurel tree?

[CookEe01]

Hi all, I have 3 laurel trees in my garden. Two are reasonably small but have massive roots which go right under the garden. The roots are as thick as my arm. The trees, however, are only around 2-3 foot tall at the moment, so I think they are quite young.

The third tree is much larger, around 9 inches around the trunk with a huge thick root.

I've cut the trees back to see if I can see the roots. I've dug around the smallest tree (took almost all day) and have exposed the largest root, which measures around 4 inches diameter.

I know it's going to be a hard job without a winch / chainsaw but is there any weed killer on the market strong enough to kill them? The weedkiller I've tried so far hasn't made any difference whatsoever.

Can I drill into the trunks? Will copper nails work? If I chop the trees down to the trunk, will this just encourage them to grow back stronger?

Looking for any suggestions to get rid of them.
Thank you

 

[r896neo]

You need sbk brush killer type its more appropriate for stumps and woody plants. Normal glyphosphate will struggle. cut the tree down as low as possible then drill or saw or gouge a hole in the centre. Fill this up following the instructions on the sbk and cover it for a day or two to keep the rain off.

This of course will kill the stump to stop re-growth or sapplings but it will not make it rot that much quicker, that will take years. You may need a stump grinder to reduce the height more if they are still too high.

 

[deckerdude]

Hya CookEe01--i have heard from these parts in sussex where there are loads of woodsmen that either copper nails at the base of a tree will kill it off--or to cut the tree as low as possible then pour diesel down a hole which has been drilled out. Not sure of either of these remedies as i am no expert and certainly no woodsman

 

[LynR6]

My brother successfully killed a tree outside his house in the pavement (roots were growing under his property) by putting a pipe into the ground above the root area and pouring battery acid down it. It took a few months and about a gallon of b.acid - the Council then cut the tree down!

 

[AleenaJohn]

My brother successfully killed a tree outside his house in the pavement (roots were growing under his property) by putting a pipe into the ground above the root area and pouring battery acid down it. It took a few months and about a gallon of b.acid - the Council then cut the tree down!

Nice tip! We have a tree that's been growing almost half way to out entrance for years and we have not been able to do a thing about it, every time we chopped it down it came back... lets try this for a change.