Getting rid of a Beech

[Bobcat]

I have too many beech trees and want to get rid of some. It is amazing the number of sprouts coming up from the roots. If I just cut down the big old tree, it appears to me that next year I will have dozens of replacements trying to recapture the foresty space. What should I put on the beech stump to kill the root system and sprouts ?? bob

 

[arboromega]

roundup pro or a stump grinder

 

[Chucky]

Are you sure about that, Mike? It's been my understanding, that Beech, much like Aspen, American Chestnut, Black Locust, and Tupelo strongly regenerate off the stump. Even Sugar Maples, I've noticed, seem to like to root sucker off the stump.

Chucky

 

[Treeman14]

Ooops, I thought this was another thread about Rocky.

 

[Nickrosis]

Vegetative Reproduction- Beech sprouts well from the stumps of young trees, but this ability diminishes after trees reach 10 cm (4 in) in d.b.h. Sprouts from stumps 25 cm to 38 cm (10 to 15 in) in diameter usually are short lived and do not attain tree stature. Numerous sprouts may develop on the trunk of beech immediately below a wound, and from the tops of stumps; here adventitious buds develop in callus tissue of the cambial region.

Beech trees may develop large numbers of root sprouts or suckers. Studies (30) have shown that reproduction is almost exclusively by suckering in the "beech gaps" and is abundant in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, in Maine (13), and in many other areas, often those near the northern and western limits of its range (11,42) where environments are severe (27). Suckering is stimulated only slightly by removal of the stem (18). Injury to roots appears to be necessary for the initiation of root sprouts in beech (19). Root sprouts arise from adventitious buds that form within callus tissues associated with wounds. Experimental injuries to roots in November resulted in fewer sprouts than did injuries inflicted in spring (20). Sometimes root sprouts develop where no apparent injury has occurred (39). There were relatively more root sprouts on southerly slopes in areas where freeze-thaw action tended to injure shallow or exposed roots and stimulate sprout formation, and where late spring frosts tended to injure or kill young seedlings. In Ohio, seedling regeneration was positively associated with northerly exposures and root sprout regeneration with southerly exposures (11).

In an undisturbed stand of mature beech in the Adirondacks, 1,730 to 2,220 root sprouts per hectare (700 to 900/acre; 7 to 12/tree) were counted (39). Casual observations elsewhere indicate that the number per tree may greatly exceed this figure.

Root sprouts can develop into desirable trees. Isozyme genetic studies have shown that some groups of overstory beech trees with similar phenotypic traits are clones (14). Sometimes root sprouts are ephemeral. In one reproduction study, made after a 60-year-old stand of beech was cut, all of the root sprouts died within 4 years. On the other hand, the trees in a 40-year-old beech stand of sprout origin averaged 10 cm (4 in) in d.b.h. and 11.6 in (38 ft) in height.

Beech limbs root in a single year when layered. Interspecific root grafting is common.

From http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/fagus/grandifolia.htm

So why would you ever want to cut down a beech? I wish I had one!

 

[Treeman14]

Nick, I LOVE what you've done with your hair. It makes you look so much more mature.

What do you think, is mine starting to thin on top?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by Mike Maas
I just got that, hehe, getting rid of a beech...Rocky...LOL!

Haha!! Me, too!

 

[Bobcat]

Nick--wish I could send you lots of these beech trees.

Nick & Mike: I have way too many beech because there are too many deer. The deer only eat beech when there is nothing else to eat. Since the beech are not hardly eaten, they get a growing start (shade) on the good tree. The herd WILL BE TRIMMED DOWN this year. Since the sprouts are coming up from the roots, can I apply some chemical to the stump ? Mike--your correct in saying the spraying can kill off what few good trees I have coming up. Otherwise, I guess a brush cutter is the only answer, but too labor intensive. Also, beech is about the lowest priced timber (assuming any one is even interested) . So it is better on the ground, or the fire place. Bob.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Dam, Bobcat... you beech too much!



JK,

 

[wct4life]

ahh, the fun of you can have with a word. Don't forget the latin...FAGUS!

 

[Chucky]

Bobcat,

2-4-D has traditionally been used by the line clearance guys. Just paint it around the outside of the stump over the cambium. Lately, power companies have favored various combinations of 2-4-D, imazapyr and triclopyr. Google the chemical names for the trade names.

Chucky

 

[Nickrosis]

Originally posted by Treeman14
Nick, I LOVE what you've done with your hair. It makes you look so much more mature.

What do you think, is mine starting to thin on top?

Your head looks fine, but you may want to do something about the silver back hair.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?threadid=16389

 

[OutOnaLimb]

I use Arsonal on all my Elm stumps. It is not activated untill it is mixed with water, and it becomes completely inert after 24 hours.

Kenn

 

[Bobcat]

MasterBlaster: How about you coming over here with some saws & ammo. Man of your talents could be a big help. bob

 

[MasterBlaster]

I would love to travel and work with some of you guys, someday. In my old age, I've seemed to have lost most of my gypsy blood.

 

[heviarti]

There's a simpler solution...

Copper wire. just band the stump and volunteers with copper wire (or strap) and hammer as many copper nails as you can into the base of the trunk. Keeps it from growing any more

 

[Treeman14]

Originally posted by heviarti
There's a simpler solution...

Copper wire. just band the stump and volunteers with copper wire (or strap) and hammer as many copper nails as you can into the base of the trunk. Keeps it from growing any more

Hmm, I used copper nails to install a lightning protection system in my live oak tree. About 100 or so nails. Is my tree going to die?

 

[Nickrosis]

Nope. Nails won't do the job - girlding might. Might. I think putting wire around all those trees would be a lot of extra labor. Cutting the tree would be much easier!

 

[Bobcat]

What are some of the safety issues using the chemicals recommended above ? Vapors? I am assuming that I can paint the cheminal on the freshly cut stump, which will then go back into the root system and kill the sprouts. Is this the correct method of application ?? bob

 

[Nickrosis]

Always read the label.

Here's Roundup PRO's label and MSDS: http://www.cdms.net/manuf/1prod.asp?pd=5423&lc=2 (a GREAT website, by the way)

Don't miss the message at the bottom!