United Kingdom 
hi there,
i have a problem with some tree roots and stems at the bottom of my garden.
years ago my neighbouring garden cut down a tree as far as they could and laid stones in their whole garden. the tree was obviously still living, as they did not destroy the root, and has now grown under the stones and under my fence and is popping up all over the place at the bottom of my garden. i have tried everything i can think of to get rid of this tree and each time i think i have done it and it will rot away, summer comes and the thing starts sprouting branches and leaves! it seems to grow really fast and i am forever clipping it, stripping the branches and leaves and chopping it down! i have tried soaking it in strong weedkiller, putting lead nails in as advised by a neighbour, and putting wood rot chemical on it which was meant for tree stumps. do you know of anything which will get rid of this tree? the poor thing is trying to grow and i just want rid of it! i have been trying for 5 summers now, and this coming summer i just want it gone
any advice appreciated, thankyou
8 Jan, 2011
Answers
You could also drill a hole in the stem and fill it with the stump weed killer. Try also sealing over the cut end after application with a bit of wax or Vaseline.
As T. says the problem may be that you are killing the roots which are in your garden but the ones in your neighbours are still alive and regenerating. They need to deal with them as well as you do.
I suppose it would be a major job to excavate along the border and put strong weed root prevention material vertically in the soil between you and them?
9 Jan, 2011
Hi, Julie, welcome to GoY!
I would cut the stems once they are about a foot or two high, and then IMMEDIATELY paint the cut ends with a good brush killer--as in, cut-paint-cut-paint, etc. If you wait more than a minute or two from cutting to painting, the cut end seals up, and the brush killer can't penetrate. I would use ferti-lome Brush & Stump Killer, but I don't know which of the ones sold in the UK are best. It will probably take all summer and several repeats to get the tree gone, and more roots may still come in from your neighbor's. No easy solution, I'm afraid.
8 Jan, 2011