A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2003 Bananna Treess

I just purchased a home that has about 30 banana trees. The previous owner distributed them to the neighbors. There are so many that they are pushing the fence down. There are also snakes that have made the clusters of growth their home. I have dealt with this before at another home. I hade a machete and cut them down and then dug them out by the roots. Very labor intensive. Does anyone know an easier way to get rid of them????? I have been told salt, kerosene ???? It does not freeze long enough here to kill them back and I would rather have some pretty hibiscus in my small yard. Any advise welcome.......help save a back! :rolleyes:

Anything to save a back! After you have cut down all those Banana trees, bore holes at a slanting angle around the trunk. They should be about 8-10 inches deep and 1 1/2 inches wide. Fill them with commercial stump killer or salt peter (nitrate of potash). Then pour hot water into the holes. This will dissolve the chemical and allow the tree to circulate it down through the roots. Continue to add water until all the stump killer is gone. Once there is no more life, you can choose to remove the roots or let them decompose in the ground.

Good luck
Barb

barbsblooms@shaw.ca