What Kills Trees Quickly? [5 Quick Methods]

In order to kill trees within 2 weeks or less, the best methods to use are:

• Make several cuts in the bark and spray them with Tordon, a tree-killing herbicide.
• Use a tough brush killer spray like Crossbow or Roundup to kill small trees.
• Cut the tree down safely.
• Use charcoal to burn the stump after killing the tree.
• Hire an arborist to fully remove stubborn trees.

These methods work quickly and get results. Several tree-killing methods—including copper nails or salting the ground—take a very long time to kill trees and are only marginally effective. Additionally, beware of home remedies for killing trees, such as pouring diesel on tree stumps. These methods are poisonous to the soil and illegal in some areas.

The 5 Fastest Ways to a Kill a Tree

When you are dealing with unwanted trees that pose a threat, such as trees that damage foundations, it’s important to remove them quickly and safely. Below are the most effective methods for killing both small trees and larger trees.

Tree-Killing Herbicide

The number-one method for killing a tree without cutting it down is to use a herbicide designed specifically to attack trees. Tordon is our top choice. You can apply Tordon to freshly cut stumps, gashes in the bark, or inject it into a tree to kill it. The best way to do this is to make downward cuts with a hatchet every 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm) around the circumference of the tree. Cut through the bark to the white sapwood beneath. Then, pour Tordon into each of these gashes. If you use Tordon this way, it will kill a large tree in only a few weeks.

• This Tordon tree killer is the best product for killing large trees.
• Use a hatchet to make downward cuts in a ring around the tree.
• Make the cuts just deep enough to break through the bark.
• Apply Tordon to the cuts in the bark to kill the tree quickly.
• You can also paint Tordon on freshly cut tree stumps to kill tree roots.

Tordon is essential for killing stubborn trees. If you are cutting down a tree, keep Tordon on hand. After the tree is safely felled, paint Tordon on the stump. This will kill the roots and prevent the tree from growing back.

Brush Killer Sprays

If your tree is under 15 feet (4.5 meters) tall, you can kill it by spraying the leaves with the correct product. Although Roundup can be used for this purpose with some success, you’ll get better results with a more powerful herbicide. Crossbow is a tough brush killer designed to kill small trees, shrubs, and vines. Spray the leaves of your tree with a proper mix of Crossbow and water. The tree will be dead in 7–21 days.

• Trees shorter than 15 feet (4.5 meters) can be killed by spraying their leaves with a systemic herbicide.
• This Crossbow herbicide is the best option for killing small trees.
• Crossbow kills trees to the root in 7–21 days.
• Roundup can be used, but crossbow is more powerful, so you’ll have a much higher success rate.

It’s essential to use a systemic herbicide such as Crossbow or Roundup to kill trees. The reason these sprays are so effective is that they infiltrate the plant through the leaves, then kill it down to the roots. A tree sprayed with a high-quality brush killer will not grow back.

Cut the Tree Down

If you want to get rid of a tree right away, there’s no quicker method than cutting it down. However, it’s important to stay safe while cutting down a tree. To properly control the fall of the tree when cutting it down, follow these steps to fell a tree using wedges. It’s also essential to use a properly serviced chainsaw and enlist the help of an assistant when cutting down a tree.

• Cut down a tree to remove it instantly.
• Be extremely careful when felling a tree. It’s essential to use correct steps when cutting down a tree near your house.
• Cutting a tree down typically kills it instantly.
• To prevent a tree from growing back, paint the stump with Tordon just after felling. This will kill the tree roots.

Cutting a tree down to ground level is an extremely quick way to remove the tree. However, once you’re done cutting you must make sure there is no live tree root growth belowground. To prevent the tree from growing back, paint the cut stump with a stump killer, such as Tordon. Tordon will quickly travel down to the roots and prevent any new growth.

Remove the Stump

Whether you’ve killed a tree with herbicides or by cutting it down, sooner or later you’ll be left with the stump. A stump left in your yard is unsightly, an obstacle, and can invite termites. So, it’s best to remove the stump the easy way. Stump remover products break down the stump in the ground, making it easy to tear out or burn within 1–2 months. This is essential for removing small or large trees.

• Treat your tree stump with this stump remover product in order to get rid of unsightly stumps easily.
• Stump remover breaks down the stump in 1–2 months so you can easily uproot it or burn it.
• If you burn your tree stump, make sure to take fire precautions and monitor the stump as it burns.

Once you’ve used a stump remover product to break down the tree stump, you can burn your tree stump using charcoal. While it’s easy to get rid of a tree trunk by cutting it up for firewood or throwing it away, stumps can be stubborn. Always make sure to complete your tree removal process by getting rid of the stump.

Hire a Professional

If you feel overwhelmed by the task of removing a problem tree among your desirable plants, contact local tree removal companies for quotes. A professional arborist can safely remove even the hardiest trees. Hiring an arborist is the best move if you’re unfamiliar with cutting down trees with a chainsaw. It will keep you safe.

• Even if you kill a tree without cutting it down, you will have to fell and remove the dead tree.
• If you are unfamiliar—or uncomfortable—with using a chainsaw to cut down trees, hire an arborist for the job.

Remember, killing a tree with herbicides is the easy part. Dead trees must then be removed to prevent them from attracting pest insects and rot. So, before you use a herbicide treatment to quickly kill a tree, make a removal plan. It may involve hiring an arborist to cut down your dead tree.

What Home Remedy Kills Trees Quickly?

There are several DIY methods that are praised as tree killers. However, many of these methods work slowly, have extreme negative side effects, or are illegal. Consider the following information before using a homemade tree killer.

How Long Does it Take Salt to Kill a Tree

Spreading salt on the ground can take months or years to kill a tree. So, this is not a fast solution. Plus, salt in the soil poisons the ground. If you spread salt in the entire tree root zone (typically the size of the branch canopy) nothing else will grow there for years. You’ll kill grass and garden plants. Plus, natural water and rainfall will spread the salt throughout your yard, wiping out more than just a problem tree.

How Do You Kill a Tree With Bleach?

Bleach is not an effective tree killer. Bleach sprayed on a tree will dry out the leaves, but it won’t kill tree roots. So, you may kill a very small, weak tree by killing it with bleach. A stubborn tree, or an invasive species of tree, is very likely to bounce back after a bleach treatment. Don’t use bleach as a tree killer.

How Fast Will a Copper Nail Kill a Tree?

Hammering copper nails into a tree trunk can take years to kill a tree. The reason for this is that the copper has to leach out of the nail to gradually poison the tree. A large tree may live on for years, even if you drive an entire ring of copper nails into the trunk.

Is Killing a Tree with Diesel Illegal?

In many local municipalities, it is illegal to use diesel or motor oil to kill a tree or tree stump. The reason is that diesel poisons the ground. You may kill the tree, but you will also kill other plants as well as helpful soil microorganisms. Tree-killing herbicides, on the other hand, are designed to kill the tree, then break down so new plants can grow in the area.

What is the Fastest Way to Kill a Tree?

The fastest and best way to kill a tree is to make cuts in the bark and apply a tree-killing herbicide, such as Tordon. This will kill your tree in 1–3 weeks. Spraying the leaves of a small tree with Roundup or Crossbow will also kill the tree in just a few weeks. You can instantly kill a tree by cutting it down. However, it’s best to paint the cut stump with Tordon to prevent the tree from growing back from the roots. Once you’ve cut down your tree, make sure to remove the stump. By using these quick methods, you can remove a problem tree quickly and prevent it from sprouting again.