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Sycamore saplings

rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
in Problem solving
I know we've touched on this regularly, but I have a neighbour who has small sycamore saplings growing up in his front yard, and would like to know how to tackle the problem. They are about 2ft high.
Any suggestions?
Thank you 
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Posts

  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    Oh dear. Can they still be pulled? If so, that's what I'd do.

  • rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
    Thank you, @Slow-worm
    The neighbour mentioned that neither she, nor her husband, could shift them. The best she felt she could do was to cut them to ground level and maintain the cutting back, but she wondered whether I could provide any suggestions to permanent eradication  - which is why I've asked what I think is the best set of gardening brains I have access to.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    If you cut off all the twigs and branches you can manage. Then rub off a bud or shoot whenever it appears. The sapling will eventually die. I did this with goatwillow that were a few years old and a very large rambling rector - he didn't like it a bit.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
    edited May 2023
    B3 said:
    If you cut off all the twigs and branches you can manage. Then rub off a bud or shoot whenever it appears. The sapling will eventually die. I did this with goatwillow that were a few years old and a very large rambling rector - he didn't like it a bit.
    I imagine the rector got a little peeved, but you do come across some rambling ones. 😂

    But seriously, . . . . thank you.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    He was more rampant than rambling @rowlandscastle444
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    If they can't be removed, one way to help their demise is to take a sharp knife and shave off the bark all the way round the trunk.
    It may take a while but if your neighbour wants to speed things up and isn't averse to using it, paint the bare trunk with a suitable "weedkiller".
  • rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
    Thank you @philippasmith2
    My neighbour certainly isn't averse to using weedkiller. Actually, their whole garden is paved/concreted, whereas mine is the complete opposite.
    For them, green is bad. For me, green is good.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    Yes I agree @rowlandscastle444 so "forget" to mention the weedkiller bit when speaking to your neighbour ;)  The shaving should work eventually. 
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Have they tried getting a fork or spade in under the roots to loosen them, or even a mattock if they're OK with one of those (I find a full-size mattock a bit scary, but I'm on the puny side). Otherwise persistently and frequently removing all the branches, leaves and buds as described above will eventually starve them out.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
    Thank you all for your suggestions. It'll give my neighbour something to keep her busy. 
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