Remove a rose bush effectively and permanently from your garden by using the expert tips and tricks from this article.
This is one task that many gardeners find nearly impossible to perform, so we strive to bring you methods that are effective, time-saving and easy for the average gardener to do at home.
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Why You Should Remove Rose Bushes
There are several reasons why you might want to get rid of the rose bush plant. Rose bush is a plant that is notorious for surviving under the harshest of conditions. It can grow anywhere from US hardiness zone 2 to 9, forming long roots that burrow several feet into the ground.
In fact, it is far easier to plant the rose bush plant than to remove it. Even if just a remnant of some root remains, this plant will regrow back with full force.
You may want to remove this plant when it dies or becomes diseased since a dead or diseased rose bush plant is not a very pleasing sight. Or maybe you just want to contain the monstrous spread of this plant all over your garden. In any case, this guide is for you.
How To Remove A Rose Bush: Effective Methods That Work
After consulting people who have been getting rid of rose bush plants effectively for years, we have compiled a list of ways to help you in your mission. Why don’t you go ahead and read them all?
– Starve the Rose Bush Plant
You can start by weakening the rose bush plant. This is best done by completely cutting off its water and nutrient supply. Before removing rose bushes manually using a shovel, you should stop watering and fertilizing them for a few weeks beforehand.
If you live in a place with a harsh climate, this will be more than enough to kill the plant entirely. The soil will not be able to provide the plant with enough sustenance and it will simply die off.
In milder regions, the plant might obtain enough water and feed from the soil to continue surviving. Despite that, it will now become susceptible to diseases and pest attacks, so starving the rose bush plant should always be your number one plan. On the other hand, overwatering a rose will create problems for many parts of the rose, and in the end, it may kill it.
– Dig It Out From the Roots
Digging out rose bushes from the ground along with their roots will kill them permanently. This also prevents any future chances of the plant growing back again.
– How To Dig Out
Here is a step-by-step guide to successfully dig out a rose bush, roots and all.
- One day prior to digging the plant out, cut out the entire coronal part. It will also help if you withhold on watering and feeding for a few weeks beforehand as we mentioned earlier.
- Water it abundantly on the night before digging so that the soil is soft and pliable for you to work on.
- On the day of the digging out, use a pointed gardening shovel to cut the soil around the plant in a circle.
- Insert this shovel into the ground as far as you can and lift out the bowl of roots from the ground. You might need to do this multiple times to get all of the roots out.
- The roots of the rose bush plant may extend as far as 3 feet into the ground, but you need not dig 3 feet underground. Removing only about 12 inches of roots should be enough to kill the plant forever.
– Kill the Rose Bush With Herbicide
Using a herbicide is a great way to get rid of rose bushes without any manual hard work. Continue reading to find out answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding herbicide use.
– When Should You Apply Herbicides?
Spring is the best season to apply herbicides to kill rose bush plants from your garden. This is the time when the phloem flow through the plant is at its maximum potential and your herbicide can easily and rapidly spread throughout the entire plant.
Another practical piece of advice is to choose a rain-free, non-windy day for this task. This will prevent your herbicide from being sprayed away to surrounding plants and grass. The rain also tends to wash the herbicide away and dilute it, so doing it on a dry day will save you from this problem.
– How To Use Herbicides To Kill a Rose Bush
Buy your herbicides from a reliable manufacturer. Start by cutting off the top part of the entire rose bush.
Remember to wear protective equipment and use separate instruments like a sprayer or a bucket for herbicides.
Make sure to contain the herbicide to the rose bush that you want to remove. Almost all herbicides are non-specific and they will kill any other plant in the vicinity as well.
– How To Protect Yourself While Using Herbicides
Protecting yourself should be your first priority when using herbicides. You can do this by completely covering your body with protective equipment such as gloves, goggles, hats and tough shoes. These chemicals tend to be absorbed through the cells of the body and produce toxins and allergens.
Make sure you follow the instructions given on the herbicide label thoroughly. The dosage, usage and storage should be exactly according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Never use these chemicals callously and keep them away from the reach of children and pets.
– When Is Using Herbicides Not Recommended?
Using a herbicide to get rid of unwanted bushes is not recommended when the said bushes are near bodies of water such as lakes or streams. You run the risk of contaminating these bodies of water along with the areas that are supplied by them.
Not only will these herbicides be a hazard to the aquatic life in these streams and ponds, but the surrounding plantations will also be affected. The same rule applies if the water table in your region is higher and you run the risk of contaminating it with herbicide use.
– Cut Out the Rose Bush and Cover It
This method is ideal for those of you who want to kill a wild rose bush without having to use chemicals or manual labor.
- Cut out the coronal part of the rose bush plant in your garden as close to the ground as possible.
- Cover the remaining stump of the plant tightly with a tarp or cardboard.
- You also want to secure this tarp with something heavy such as bricks or nails to prevent it from blowing off in strong winds.
- Let this cover stay for at least a year. Occasionally, you can remove the cover and prune off new growths before covering the bush again.
– How This Method Works
This is one of our most favorite methods for getting rid of rose bush plants. Covering the bush with a tarp will cut off its light supply, and the plant will not be able to synthesize food for itself.
The dark, damp conditions will attract pests and infections that will also weaken and kill the plant. The air exchange of the plant will also be severely affected, contributing to its demise.
Getting Rid of Rose Bushes: Some Methods That Don’t Work
There are some popular methods of killing the rose bush plant that don’t really work. In fact, they might even cause more damage in the process. Continue reading to find out what these no-nos are.
– Rock Salt or Epsom Salts
Adding salts to your soil will perform the intended function of killing the rose bush plant, but it will also destroy your soil and any other plants you might want to grow in it. Adding salts to the soil produces water stresses, nutrient deficiency, and chloride toxicity. We strongly recommend against this practice. This will cause your rose to wilt but it will also harm everything around it.
– Bleach and Vinegar
Bleach and vinegar are two more DIY products that are popular among yard keepers as effective rose bush removal tools. Here are some reasons why this can pose a danger to you and your garden:
- These can cause a buildup of toxic chlorine in the soil that stays in the soil for a very long period of time.
- Their fumes are dangerous to the eyes and skin if you are not careful while using them.
- They will destroy the ecosystem of your soil by killing all beneficial lifeforms in it.
- Any other plant growing in your garden will also be negatively impacted by the lack of nutrients and increased toxicity of your soil.
