Guava or Psidium Guajava belongs to the Myrtaceae family of trees. They are native to the tropical areas of Asia with India being the largest supplier of Guavas in the world. They are small trees, rarely growing more than 30-35 feet tall, and are considered to be evergreen in nature. The fruits have also been historically used in pickles, jams, spices, etc.
Let’s take a look at how to kill Guava trees and their root systems.
How to Kill Guava Trees?
Some of the most popular methods of killing Psidium Guajava are:
- Foliar Spray
- Cutting the tree down and treating the stump with Herbicides
- Gridling or ring barking
- Basal Bark treatment
- Injecting the tree with killing chemicals
- Cut surface treatment
For more information about different tree-killing methods, read this post as well.
The best way to kill a small Guava tree
Some small Psidium Guajava trees will only grow up to 10-15 feet tall.
The first, and most effective method is to simply cut down the tree and treat the stump with a herbicide like Tordon RTU or Roundup. (check the recommended products section for best herbicides)
Cutting down a small tree should not be an issue and you can probably get it done without any professional help. But if you don’t want to cut down the tree, there are some other options you can choose from.
Foliar Spray Method
This is only applicable if the Foliage of the tree is reachable by the sprayer.
For this method, you will need a backpack sprayer and a strong herbicide of your choice.
Make sure there is no wind during the spraying process as the herbicide can get carried away. The leaves of the tree have to be dry before spraying to maximize absorption.
- Use an effective herbicide like Roundup, Triclopyr or Ortho, you can go for the Tricoplyr from Amazon (Affiliate link) It is also recommended that you add some type of a dye to the herbicide to mark the trees which have been treated. This will come in handy if you have to kill multiple trees.
- Spray the foliage or the leaves of the Psidium Guajava with the herbicide.
- The herbicide will be absorbed by the leaves and transported to the roots, killing the tree and its root system over time.
- To maximize the chances of killing the tree, repeat the spraying process a few times in a span of a week.
- You should see signs of the tree dying in a couple of weeks.
Because of their evergreen nature, the Foliar Spray technique will work all year round on Guava trees.
The other method is the Basal bark Treatment, keep in mind that you can only use this method if the diameter of the trunk is less than 6-7 inches in diameter.
Basal Bark Treatment
For this method, you will need a backpack sprayer for spraying the chemical, a strong herbicide, and an oil-based solvent.
Ideally, you should choose herbicides that contain Trycloper or Trycloper Ester or Imazapyr as the main chemical. For example, Garlon 4 Ultra, Forestry Garlon XRT are good choices, but not commercially available to everyone. I would recommend using the Triclopyr mentioned earlier.
The solvent to mix the herbicide in would be diesel, basal oil, fuel oil, or kerosene.
The ideal proportion for mixing should be 1 part herbicide and 4-part solvent, so about 20-25% concentration.
Some types of herbicides in the market can directly be used for this method without needing to mix with anything like ‘Pathfinder II’. There are a lot of varieties in the market, so make sure to read the label before using them.
- Once you have the solution, spray the bottom 20 inches of the Psidium Guajava tree with this solution until saturated, and let it dry out.
- Repeat this process a few times for faster absorption, especially if the tree is on the larger side.
- Make sure that the tree is not wet while performing this technique as the chemicals typically used for basal bark treatment are hydrophobic, which means they will not be absorbed as effectively.
The best way to kill a large Guava tree
A large Psidium Guajava can grow up to 20-35 feet tall.
The first method here would also be to simply cut down the tree using an ax or a chainsaw and treat the stump with a herbicide. Because of the small size, you can probably get it done without any professional help.
Alternatively, you can also use girdling and chemical injection methods. They can also be used together to speed up the process.
Ringbarking
Ringbarking would be the easiest and the most efficient method for killing a large Psidium Guajava as it will stop the nutrient flow from the roots to the trunk and leaves. Without bark, the tree will naturally die.
- You will need to either get a hatchet, hammer and chisel or chainsaw for this method. You can even use a knife, but it will be a slightly challenging task without proper tools.
- Remove a ring of bark around the entire tree, about 4-8 inches wide. The wider the area is, the better.
- For extra measure, spray herbicide along the exposed bark to further disturb the nutrient flow. Tordon RTU would be the best option.
Make sure you take all of the safety precautions and read the manufacturer’s label before using the herbicide
Chemical Injection
- You will need a drill and a herbicide for this method.
- Drill holes, 2-3 inches deep along the circumference of the Psidium Guajava, about 2-3 feet above the ground. The angle of the holes have to be downward.
- Inject a strong herbicide like Concentrated Roundup or Tordon RTU into these holes and let it absorb.
- After about an hour, inject more herbicide into these holes to increase the absorption, especially if the tree in on the larger side of the spectrum.
What’s the best time to kill Guava?
The best time to kill a Psidium Guajava would be before their fruiting season. During the fruiting season, a tree requires the most amount of nutrients. Killing them just before this will stop this nutrient supply which will speed up the killing process.
Alternatively, you can also kill them after the fruiting season if you want to enjoy the fruits of that season.
Should you hire a professional tree removal service?
Because Psidium Guajava is usually a small tree, you can manage to kill it by yourself.
But if you have to deal with a large number of Psidium Guajava trees, then it can be a nuisance to individually kill and remove them. Hiring a professional service will take care of this entire process for you.
Take a look at my tree removal cost guide here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you kill a Guava without cutting it down?
Yes, you can kill Guava without cutting it down by using Girdling and Chemical Injection with more mature trees and Foliar Spray or Basal Bark Treatment for the smaller trees.
What is Guava’s fruiting season?
Guava trees start producing flowers by spring and the fruits ripen by mid-Autumn.
What household items can be used to kill Guava Trees?
Because of the Guava tree’s small size, some of the household items can be used to kill them such as rock salt and undiluted vinegar, or a mixture of both.
Conclusion
You can kill a mature Guava or Psidium Guajava tree using Girdling and Chemical Injection methods. For smaller trees, you can also use the foliar spray technique and basal bark treatment. Alternatively, you can also cut down the tree and treat the stump with a herbicide.
Recommended reading:
Hi!
I am the guy behind Theyardable.com. I grew up on a homestead and I am here to share the knowledge I have and things I learn while living in the countryside.
