Controlling spread If growth shows up outside the area you have allotted for that plant, promptly dig out the unwanted growth. Or dig up the whole clump and divide it. This can be done annually to control aggressive spreaders. Extra divisions can be replanted somewhere else, potted up and given to friends or discarded.
Herbicides are among the most effective and resource-efficient tools to treat invasive species. Most of the commonly known invasive plants can be treated using only two herbicides—glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup™ and Rodeo™) and triclopyr (the active ingredient in Brush-BGone™ and Garlon™).
Shape an overgrown shrub into a tree form.
Then remove the lateral branches that are three to four feet off the ground. Also, prune out some of the interior growth for better air circulation. You may need to do some light pruning over three to four years to get the desired tree-form look.
If your invasive plants spread below the ground, you can put a strong barrier in place. Simply take a plastic pot that is 10 or more inches deep, cut off the bottom with a utility knife, and bury the pot underground. Finally, fill the hole with soil and place your plant in the ground.
When pruning mature, overgrown shrubs, remove the thickest branches first. Cut them back to the base of the shrub to promote new growth. Hand pruners are useful for smaller branches. Some can cut branches up to an inch in diameter, but long-handled loppers give you leverage to cut branches 1 to 2 inches in diameter.
Renovation pruning (also called renewal pruning) removes all stems down to the ground. A second way to prune overgrown, deciduous shrubs is to cut them back to within 4 to 6 inches of the ground in March or early April.
Several natural and chemical herbicides will kill a bush, such as glyphosate, vinegar, and salt. To use them, trim your bush as low to the ground as possible and drill holes in the remaining stems that are at least one inch deep. Then, pour your herbicide of choice into the holes.
Controlling spread
Many perennials and tropicals spread by underground rhizomes -- some fast and some slow. If growth shows up outside the area you have allotted for that plant, promptly dig out the unwanted growth. Or dig up the whole clump and divide it. This can be done annually to control aggressive spreaders.
Don't dig anything from the wild unless you're certain it's not invasive (or endangered). If you do see an invasive on you own property, dig it up, smother it, or follow instructions from your state's invasive species program. Severe infestations may require herbicides. Plant native shrubs and flowers.
Once it's taller than the window the growing part of the plant won't have enough light. It's time to cut off the top and root it, making a new, shorter plant. To do this, you a sharp knife, rooting powder, a clean pot and fresh potting mix.
Do not prune deciduous shrubs in late summer. Pruning shrubs in August or early September may encourage a late flush of growth. This new growth may not harden sufficiently before the arrival of cold weather and be susceptible to winter injury.
Maintenance professionals use loppers to reach higher branches and trim overgrown shrubs or small trees. They are great for precise pruning, thinning and shaping plants to promote healthy growth.
Select a warm, dry day and fill a spray bottle with undiluted white vinegar and spray thoroughly. Coat the leaves of any shoots growing back from the tree roots and stump. This added measure destroys the leafy top-growth that supplies the roots with food. The root system will eventually die off as well.
Kudzu grows out of control quickly, spreading through runners (stems that root at the tip when in contact with moist soil), rhizomes and by vines that root at the nodes to form new plants. Once established, kudzu grows at a rate of one foot per day with mature vines as long as 100 feet.
Foliar Spray: Foliar Spray: This method is best used for dense populations. In the fall, when native plants are losing their leaves, spray a 2% glyphosate or triclopyr solution on the entire leaf surface of the plant. In order to avoid drift to native plants, spray on calm days.
Herbicides are among the most effective and resource-effi- cient tools to treat invasive species. Most of the commonly known invasive plants can be treated using only two herbi- cides—glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup™ and Rodeo™) and triclopyr (the active ingredient in Brush-B- Gone™ and Garlon™).
Small shrubs should be planted at least 2 feet from a house foundation, medium shrubs about 3 feet and tall shrubs 4 to 5 feet away. An 8-foot shrub next to a six foot shrub should be spaced about 7 feet apart. Spacing plants in hedges is another matter.
To prevent a rhizomatous plant from overgrowing or overwhelming your other garden plants, install a physical barrier in the soil that the rhizome can't grow past, like a container buried underground.
Start at the base of the shrub and eliminate the centermost branches, taking out no more than one-third of the shrub's total mass. New growth from the base should follow the next growing season. Remove another third of the old wood at the base in years two and three.
Bleach is a great way to kill tree stumps because it is an environmentally friendly method that does not involve harmful chemicals. Bleach kills tree stumps by breaking down the woody structure of the stump, which then causes it to fall over and decay.
Mix 1 gallon of water with 1 cup of table salt. On a sunny, dry day, spray the mixture on the weed's leaves and stems. Salt is an effective weed killer but a dangerous one. It can sterilize soil, making it impossible to grow anything for years.