If you do, there is no movement of sap to the root system and the root system will receive no herbicide.Ī tree this size, I would put about 4, maybe 5 cuts that size around the trunk, leaving some peripheral area untouched. I try not to completely circle the girth of the trunk. Only takes a few squirts with a spray bottle. A few slashes with a hatchet, about 20-30' above ground, with the cut angled down toward the ground. (Remedy Ultra's active ingredient is triclopyr) It is during this period, that most of the activity in the vascular system is down rootward, which is what causes the leaves to change color then fall off.

I usually do the slash (hack) and squirt of 50/50 remedy ultra/diesel in the fall right before tree foliage begins to change color. The stump and root system, doesn't 'know' the rest of the tree is gone and it just keeps pushing sap/nutrients up to the cutoff, which then seals over the surface and prevents the herbicide solution from entering the part of the vascular system that goes down to the roots. It is very important to do the cut stump treatment within 30 minutes of cutting the tree or sapling down and this applies to most species.

Crossbow herbicide mixing instructions