Finally picked a buckthorn removal method after years of just cutting

I always just cut buckthorn at ground level and hoped for the best, but last month I switched to a basal bark treatment with triclopyr on a job in Naperville and the difference is night and day. Has anyone else had better luck with one approach over the other for invasive shrubs?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_ray1mo ago

Man, I feel you on this! I spent years just hacking at buckthorn with a saw and calling it a day, only for it to come back twice as thick the next season. Once I finally tried the basal bark treatment with triclopyr on a big patch behind my shed, I was kicking myself for not doing it sooner. The stuff just melts away and doesn't resprout like crazy the way cutting alone does. Honestly, if you can swing the chemical route, it's way less back-breaking in the long run.

ninam861mo ago

Start by saying I actually tried basal bark treatment with triclopyr last year and it worked great for me too. Just a heads up though, you gotta make sure you're using the right concentration in the oil mix or it won't penetrate the bark like it should for bigger stems. Its still way easier on the back than cutting and pulling all day though.