Beginner Gardening: Ailanthus Tree!!!, 0 by smithj

smithj wrote:
Please somebody help me. I can't take any more, I'm just one person, I feel like a homesteder in the 1800's! All I do now is sit in the dirt and cry. For 4 years I kept telling my neighbors they needed to do something about the Ailanthus tree spreading it's roots and shoots all over the neighborhood. Finally, in August, they had it taken out. But still my garden is full of the roots, and shoots sprout every 3 days. I spent over 12 hours last week trying to dig everything out, digging down 12" in some places, if I couldn't get the root out I cut it (stabbed repeatedly was more like it) poured, and applied with a brush, concentrated Round Up, and still shoots are coming up 3" from were they were before. I just can't take it. I have not been able to use my back garden in 4 years as the shoots come thou' everything. It's not that big, I wanted to make it desert like, with pebbles. Forget that, the shoots come right throu' the weed prevent fabric. Roots are even pushing up concrete cinder blocks which form a path on side of house.
My neighbors were told to spray Round Up on any shoots they saw. A. they do not do this very often. B. Round Up only kills the green shoot, it does not kill the root. There is an apartment buiding behind me, there garden is also full of shoots, right up to the dividing wall. I feel I am fighting a loosing battle. If all neighbors do not control their shoots, I'll never be rid of this nightmare. Meanwhile I've been looking at dirt for 4 years as it's pointless doing anything to my garden as I'm constantly digging holes trying to get roots/shoots out. One time I counted 73 activily growing shoots. Oh, and they go all the way to the front garden. This is just too much. I don't see I have any choice other than move. Does anyone have a magic 'cure' for me? Has anyone out there found something that kills the roots permenantly? I live in So. Cal. 20 miles inland, it's hot & dry most of the time. Thank you for reading my sorry tale.