Using roundup under low branches of evergreens

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Tea3 Cedarburg, WI Jun 11, 2013

I have mulch around 5 huge evergreens (spruce & Austrian pine) and the mulch bed has weeds and grass that I want to kill without digging or pulling each one. How can I do so without killing the low-lying branches of the spruce trees, if I use roundup?

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WeeNel Ayrshire Scotland, United Kingdom Jun 11, 2013

I know this is going to sound silly to someone who does not want to hand pick weeds but instead, use a chemical weed killer.
The Safest and best way to use the weed killers around plants of any kind is either to place a bad/garbage will do over smaller clumps of plants to protect them unto the killer dries and is safe, but in your situation UNDER large plants /tree's is to hand paint the killer onto each weed by wearing rubber gloves and use either a tooth brush, an old ladies make-up brush or other soft type bristled brush, depending on what weeds you have, it could speed up the process by either snapping or crushing gently the weed as when bruised the killer gets taken down to the roots faster or, it seems that way.

the other way and easier way is to Rake the mulch every few months as this rips up the germinating weeds before they set down their stronger roots.
Hope this helps you out a bit and wish you good luck,
WeeNel.

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Diana_K Contra Costa County, CA(Zone 9b) Jun 11, 2013

Use a stiff sheet of cardboard to lift the lower branches up enough to be able to spray under.
Do not get Round Up on the leaves of the desired plants.
If it is more than a few shots of Round Up the cardboard might get soaked, and you need more. If this will happen it might be worth buying a product from a professional painting supply. It is called a Spray Shield. They come in many sizes. It is sturdy plastic, about 9" x 2', 3' or 4' with a handle, and will stand up to many reuses when they are painting, and is also great for this use. I would get one of the largest if it will fit in the area under the trees. Go see what sizes they sell. They make them out of aluminum, too, but I would use plastic for this.

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Sequoiadendron4 Lititz, PA(Zone 6b) Jun 12, 2013

Yeah, I would just lift the branches with your one hand and spray the Roundup with the other, then let the branches down and you should be fine to go around the trees like that. I would use the fast drying round up that is rain ready in 10 minutes. I would then put down Preen as to keep future weeds down. I needed to Roundup around a Pyracantha hedge this spring and I just moved the branches out of the way and then left them go. They were fine. Good luck!

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