Question
Hello,  I live in NJ in the USA.  I have a row of privet hedges and have some small maple and oak trees that rooted inside the hedges.

I am unable to pull them out even though some may be 1 year old.  Some have been there for a few years and I just cut them at the bottom since I can't seem to kill them.  Don't have any luck with Roundup.  What can I do?

thanks in advance, Ken

Answer
Hello Ken

Instead of trying to pull up the unwanted one or two year old saplings try scraping away the soil at the base of each stem until you expose the roots.  Cut through the roots until the stem is very wobbly, then bend it to one side and cut through the tap root.  That should do it, but if you do see new growth coming up, just scrape away the soil again and tear the new growth from the root - eventually the plant will lose energy and give up!

Older saplings can respond to the same treatment, but if not you will have to treat the stumps left after cutting down the plants with a stump/root killer, obtainable from the garden center.  Be sure to follow the instructions on the container carefully.  

How quickly this treatment works depends on the size of the stump and root stock you are trying to get rid of.  Any appearance of new growth should be dealt with as soon as it's seen, by pulling or cutting it off.

If you see any new seedlings/saplings be ruthless and get rid of them at once!

Gill