The power of elderberry is one man's joy and another man's sorrow. If the tree is placed on the stick, it will sprout again. So what should you do to remove elderberry and its roots? This is how it works.
How do I remove an elderberry bush and its roots?
To remove elderberry including roots, you can saw off the rhizome, persistently remove rashes, cut roots or use a pulley. A stump grinder is also helpful. Chemical preparations should be avoided.
Sawing and tiring
Elderberry is one of the trees in the garden that doesn't give up so quickly. The plant has impressive growth power, which continues to produce new growths after it has been sawed off. Removing a black elderberry requires a lot of elbow grease or a lot of patience. The following strategies have the best chance of success:
- Saw the rootstock 10 cm below the ground, cover it with substrate and plant grass
- persistently remove every little rash
- Expose the rootstock, chop off the side roots or cut them with a chainsaw
- extend up to a height of 3 meters with a pulley
Probably the most strenuous technique involves digging by hand. Since the elderberry is a shallow-rooted plant, it can be done with a manageable amount of effort if the specimens are not fully grown. Otherwise, a lengthy method can be considered, during which the sawn-off elderberry will tire out within 2-3 years due to the permanent removal of the rashes.
Tree stump grinder kills elderberry roots
A motor-driven tree stump grinder (€27.00 at Amazon) proves to be the happy medium between manual cutting and costly excavation. Small versions are barely larger than a lawn mower and are therefore easy to handle. The milling head gradually chips away at the roots to a depth of 25 centimeters. What remains is a large pile of chips and bed soil, an excellent mulching material for the hobby garden.
Chemical preparations questionable
Various remedies are available in stores that are based on sodium or magnesium nitrate. These substances can also be found in fireworks. Holes are drilled into the elderberry root. WurzelEx is mixed with petroleum, filled into the holes and set on fire. As a result, the rootstock burns so intensely inside that it can no longer grow.
Tips & Tricks
The intensely coloring juice of elderberries causes stains that are very difficult to remove. As long as the juice stains are fresh, there are still good chances of success. Soak the dirty area in buttermilk for several hours and then wash it in the washing machine according to the instructions on the label. Dried elderberry juice can only be removed by dry cleaning.
