[College of ACES] [University of Illinois] [Illinois CES]

Re: Poisoned tree

ecosync@compusmart.ab.ca
Wed, 24 Dec 1997 01:40:43 -0600

I'd like to know why you suspect glyphosate or 2,4,5-T. Neither sound likely to me. If you check the label for Roundup you will see it needs to be sprayed on green plant parts to effectively kill them. The active ingredient, glyphosate is tightly adsorbed in the soil, being for all intents and purposes unavailable for uptake by the plant. If the Ficus had gotten a foliar dose of Roundup it would not be shedding. Rather the leaves die and the dead clinging leaves would persist for quite some time.

2,4,5-T is not readily picked up through the soil. It too is foliar applied with the same result as mentioned above - necrotic persistant leaves.

If the cause of diminishing tree health is in fact a herbicide, I would be looking for possible soil applied herbicides.

In another response there was advice to examine the use of activated charcoal. Activated charcoal works by providing strong bonding positions where the herbicide is adsorbed and thereby rendered unavailable for uptake by plants. So, it works with soil active herbicides or may be used to clean up a spill. If your problem is due to a residual herbicide the fact that you are trying to save a tree proves problematic. The activated charcoal needs to be thoroughly worked into the soil. In your case, this would result in severing the roots, creating further debilatation.

The answer I can think of is to irrigate regulary and heavily which would both dilute any toxins and hopefully leach them away from the root zone.