Shrubs can be a nuisance in the garden or in the forest because they seriously affect the growth of the crops and trees.
There are different ways of controlling weeds and shrubs. When the stems of the shrubs are small, you can effectively control them with a foliar spray with a herbicide but when the stems get larger and over head high, then you need to use a basal bark herbicide treatment.
Large stem shrubs
Basal bark herbicide treatment is effective on shrubs that are over head high or in clamps.
To do a basal bark herbicide treatment ensure that you have a recommended herbicide, a calibrated knapsack sprayer and basal bark oil. The basal bark oil is a carrier that helps the chemical penetrate the stem.
Also ensure that you have personal protective equipment and these include glasses for eye protection, rubber gloves, long sleeved shirt, long pants, pants, closed toed shoes or gum boots.
Considerations
Before doing a basal bark herbicide application, its not only the size of the stem that matters but also the nature of the bark.
The best way to determine if a basal bark application will be effective on a desired tree is to scratch the bark of the stem with your finger nails and if you can see green then it indicates that the basal bark herbicide treatment is effective.
Apply the herbicide using a back pack sprayer with an adjustable nozzle under low pressure. Ensure that you spray every stem to about 12 to 20 inches above the ground.
Ensure to use oil soluble herbicides because water soluble herbicides can be washed away by rain making them less effective.
