Please Help! This ficus is taking over! I don't have the means to cut it down. Is there some kind of chemical I can put near the roots to kill it slowly?

Reply to post by Sashi, on October 03, 2002 at 14:51:39:

The link below lists invasive plants in Florida. Do you know what species of Ficus you have? How large is the tree? (height, trunk diameter)
By not having "the means", do you mean money to pay for professional removal, or just your own personal tools and efforts? The tree will need to come out anyway, if you kill it somehow.
I'm not sure if girdling works on ficus, but it would be better than chemicals.
Remember, you must obey the law pertaining to the use of toxic materials. We don't wish to poison our world.
Have you tried asking for advice from your state university extension or county agricultural agent?

Reply to post by Sashi, on October 03, 2002 at 14:51:39:

Why do you assume that application of some chemical will resolve your problems?? I wonder sometimes why people are simply looking for a quick, chemical fix, to aquire their own selfish desires with no consideration of other people or the environment. James.

Reply to post by James Causton, on October 03, 2002 at 14:51:39:

Yep, kill the tree chemicaly then you have a dead tree that is more expensive to remove on top of it all.

No consideration for others? Why worry about the expense when a neighbor plants a ficus inches from your fence and damages your fence and sends massive roots onto you property that competes with your landscape. After talking with the neighbor your told "I like it, sorry about your fence, don't know what I can do." Give me a break. Think outside to box for a minute: There are plenty of nontoxic chemicals that can be used to control unwanted plants. I use some on my lawn instead of the toxic ones. ie soap, vinegar, beer, epsom salt only name a few, instead of insecticides or some fertilizers. I'm not sure of the salt tolerance or a ficus tree and obviously I haven't try it but if ficus trees can't stand salt - that can be an option. For sure they don't like wet feet. They like to dry out between waterings. Thus if they are sitting in water for extended periods of time they will drown.

The good neighbor policy is to know what your plants will do, and limit their growth to YOUR property unless your neighbor WANTS to share the effect you are looking for in YOUR yard.

Nature can be used to correct itself, and without drastic measures. A major blast is not needed when sparkler is all you need to enjoy the 4th of July. Anyone else have any further knowledge?

dEstroyed.
If someone does not have the ability to safely remove an unwanted Fig tree themselves they will need to employ the services of a professional Fig tree remover, who will then want paying, ah, such is life.
If that all sounds too sensible one could borrow an axe and a drill from a mate and buy a few cases of cheap strong lager and some bottles of rum and tequila. Then when you have some spare time and a few mates you could get a bit tipsy and have a substance fuelled frenzied attack sessions on the tree then throw table salt all over the place. You may even wake up the next morning full of remorse and realise you really love that Fig tree after all.