{"id":584,"date":"2021-12-17T21:46:21","date_gmt":"2021-12-17T21:46:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/?p=584"},"modified":"2023-04-15T10:58:13","modified_gmt":"2023-04-15T10:58:13","slug":"killing-trees-with-bleach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/killing-trees-with-bleach\/","title":{"rendered":"Killing A Tree with Bleach &#8211; Yes it is possible!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/killing-a-tree-suing-bleach-thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"killing a tree using bleach thumbnail\" class=\"wp-image-585\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/killing-a-tree-suing-bleach-thumbnail.jpg 500w, https:\/\/theyardable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/killing-a-tree-suing-bleach-thumbnail-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/theyardable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/killing-a-tree-suing-bleach-thumbnail-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Bleach is one of the most common household items in the world. By some, it is also regarded as a tree killer. How effective is bleach really is in controlling the growth of unwanted plants? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bleach is not designed to control tree growth, but it will harm them. It is not an effective compound to kill trees or tree stumps because it is not systematic in nature, but in some cases, it can be used successfully. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are looking to remove a tree, a stump, or trim a tree, use the <a href=\"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/tree-and-stump-removal-services\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">form on our tree &amp; stump removal page to get estimates from a local company. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s take a look at whether bleach should be used for killing plants and trees and what is the correct method for doing so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_62 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/killing-trees-with-bleach\/#How_Does_Bleach_Affect_a_Tree\" title=\"How Does Bleach Affect a Tree?\">How Does Bleach Affect a Tree?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/killing-trees-with-bleach\/#Can_You_Kill_A_Tree_with_Bleach\" title=\"Can You Kill A Tree with Bleach?\">Can You Kill A Tree with Bleach?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/killing-trees-with-bleach\/#How_Much_Bleach_Will_Kill_A_Tree\" title=\"How Much Bleach Will Kill A Tree?\">How Much Bleach Will Kill A Tree?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/killing-trees-with-bleach\/#Concentrated_bleach\" title=\"Concentrated bleach\">Concentrated bleach<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/killing-trees-with-bleach\/#Will_Bleach_Kill_A_Tree_Stump\" title=\"Will Bleach Kill A Tree Stump?\">Will Bleach Kill A Tree Stump?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/killing-trees-with-bleach\/#How_to_Use_Bleach_for_Killing_Trees\" title=\"How to Use Bleach for Killing Trees?\">How to Use Bleach for Killing Trees?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/killing-trees-with-bleach\/#How_to_Save_A_Tree_Which_Has_Been_Exposed_to_Bleach\" title=\"How to Save A Tree Which Has Been Exposed to Bleach?\">How to Save A Tree Which Has Been Exposed to Bleach?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/killing-trees-with-bleach\/#What_Can_You_Use_Other_Than_Bleach_to_Effectively_Kill_A_Tree\" title=\"What Can You Use Other Than Bleach to Effectively Kill A Tree?\">What Can You Use Other Than Bleach to Effectively Kill A Tree?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/killing-trees-with-bleach\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Does_Bleach_Affect_a_Tree\"><\/span>How Does Bleach Affect a Tree?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bleach is not systemic in nature &#8211; this means that it doesn\u2019t get absorbed as well as herbicides designed to kill trees. Because of the low absorption, enough of it is not transported throughout the tree to affect it. Bleach only affects the most vulnerable areas it has been applied to like like leaves or exposed cambium layer. This limits Bleacher&#8217;s effectiveness as a tree killer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bleach works by sucking out the moisture from an area it has been sprayed on. If you apply bleach on the leaves of a tree, the leaves will become dehydrated, turn brown, and eventually fall off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_You_Kill_A_Tree_with_Bleach\"><\/span>Can You Kill A Tree with Bleach?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bleach is not really effective at killing trees. It only affects the area it has been applied to, as opposed to some of the herbicides which get transported throughout the tree and directly affect the roots.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are using Bleach on smaller plants or very young trees, bleach can harm them beyond repair and kill them. If you are using bleach on plants that require a lot of care or on plants that are not native to a particular climate, then it can be effective. Even in these cases, you have to apply bleach multiple times to increase its efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are using bleach on any native species of woody plants that are hard to kill, there is a high probability that they do not show any sign of dying. Even if you effectively damage one part of the plant, the roots will start growing new shoots from other parts of the plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Much_Bleach_Will_Kill_A_Tree\"><\/span>How Much Bleach Will Kill A Tree?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bleach is not a recommended chemical to control tree growth, but if used in big enough quantities, beyond the amount we would consider normal, it would be effective on any tree I believe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That approach would create another set of problems like contaminating the surrounding area and spending a lot of cash on Bleach. In short, it would be cheaper and faster to just buy a proper herbicide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>But how much bleach would you need to kill a tree or a tree stump? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This depends on a lot of factors, the first being the size of the plant. The optimal amount is should entirely cover the foliage of the plant or tree a couple of times over plus then some more. This way you can spray the foliage multiple times to increase the chances of success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, if you are just applying it on a stump, then the required amount would cover the entire stump 3-4 times over. With most small plants and trees, one or two 14oz bottles will be more than enough for a stump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Concentrated_bleach\"><\/span>Concentrated bleach<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two types of bleach you can use, the first one being a regular diluted bleach which we talked about in the previous section. You can use this straight out of the bottle and there is no need to further dilute it. The advantage of this is that it won\u2019t affect the soil and the surrounding area as much, but the disadvantage is obviously that it won\u2019t be as effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The other variety is a more concentrated version of chlorine bleach which is used for industrial uses. For example, this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cloroxpro.com\/products\/clorox\/germicidal-bleach\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Clorox concentrated bleach<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is recommended to dilute this in a 50-50 ratio with water (but I have not tested it). This Bleach is much more effective and can cause a lot of damage to even medium-sized trees. The disadvantage of course is that this will damage the soil and surrounding area a lot more and it can even cause skin irritation, breathing difficulties, and other health issues if you are not careful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Will_Bleach_Kill_A_Tree_Stump\"><\/span>Will Bleach Kill A Tree Stump?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bleach does not invade a tree\u2019s system which means that it won\u2019t be able to reach and kill its root system. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore, if you use it on a tree stump, it slightly affects the area, but it won\u2019t stop the roots from sprouting new shoots from other parts of the tree. You should think of bleach as a drying agent &#8211; while it will effectively pull out the moisture from the area it won\u2019t attack trees&#8217; biological system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Use_Bleach_for_Killing_Trees\"><\/span>How to Use Bleach for Killing Trees?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have a concentrated solution of Chlorine bleach, mix it with water in equal proportions. You will also need a backpack sprayer or a handheld sprayer if you are dealing with small plants. This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Professional-190328-Backpack-Sprayer-Killing\/dp\/B000AYHKUO?th=1&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=yardable-20&amp;linkId=f16e73fa163c26c919a7c26f728444d0&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener sponsored\">Field King Sprayer<\/a> from Amazon is a good choice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If possible, cut the plant down to its stump and treat the stump with the solution while also spraying the roots if possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are dealing with a bigger tree, then after you cut the tree to its stump, make some gashes along the circumference of the stump and spray the solution to cover the entire stump along with the gashes. This method is also known as the Cut Surface Treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you do not want to cut the tree down, spray the leafage and the trunk of the plant with the solution. If the roots of the plant are accessible, spray the solution on the roots as well. As an extra step, using an ax, make gashes along the entire circumference of the tree and apply bleach into the gashes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to take it even a step further, you can remove a 4-8 inches wide strip of bark around the entire circumference of the tree. This alone should kill the tree in the long haul, but using bleach will slightly speed up the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Save_A_Tree_Which_Has_Been_Exposed_to_Bleach\"><\/span>How to Save A Tree Which Has Been Exposed to Bleach?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If a tree got exposed to bleach by accident, simply hose down the tree or plant to dilute the chemical. Most of it will just end up running off. Simply cleaning the foliage or the exposed area with water will get the job done. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Can_You_Use_Other_Than_Bleach_to_Effectively_Kill_A_Tree\"><\/span>What Can You Use Other Than Bleach to Effectively Kill A Tree?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a ton of herbicides and chemicals that are way more effective in killing trees, plants, and stumps. For example,  Relegate, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Triclopyr-Compare-Garlon-Remedy-Quart\/dp\/B00M8C4YNM?crid=191FY3DU2DHG0&amp;keywords=Triclopyr+4&amp;qid=1642000156&amp;sprefix=triclopyr+4%2Caps%2C486&amp;sr=8-1&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=yardable-20&amp;linkId=abaa8ba12b8860484166e50cd2862c15&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener sponsored\">Trycloper, <\/a>and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Tordon-RTU-Herbicide-QT-Size\/dp\/B008QYMNU2?crid=W0OZMU5B369R&amp;keywords=tordon+rtu&amp;qid=1642001096&amp;sprefix=tordon+rtu%2Caps%2C401&amp;sr=8-1&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=yardable-20&amp;linkId=44f03a8c68be4162078c18e46667c1f8&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener sponsored\">Tordon <\/a>are good choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For stump killing, Tordon RTU would be the best tree-killing chemical to use followed up by concentrated Roundup, which a lot of people use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can read my other article about <a href=\"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/kill-tree-without-cutting-down\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"853\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">killing trees without cutting them down here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Bleach can be used if you have to get rid of small plants, but it is not an ideal choice for plant control. Bleach is not a systemic chemical which means it does disturb the nutrient flow within the tree, thus it will not affect the growth of trees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bleach can damage some areas of woody plants but there is a high chance that a tree will survive regular bleach treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Recommended reading: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/what-is-basal-bark-treatment\/\">What is Basal Bark Treatment<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/how-to-kill-stumps-with-bleach\/\">How to Kill a Tree Stump With Bleach<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bleach is one of the most common household items in the world. By some, it is also regarded as a tree killer. How effective is bleach really is in controlling the growth of unwanted plants? Bleach is not designed to control tree growth, but it will harm them. It is not an effective compound to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":585,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=584"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2455,"href":"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584\/revisions\/2455"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/585"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theyardable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}