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Ah, the dreaded sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). As much as we want sweetgums to have some timber value, in most regions, it just isn’t there, at least not for smaller trees in the mid story.
Often times you’re better off terminating at least some of this species from your timber stand.
The “Hack and Squirt” method using Imazapyr (Arsenal AC) is a great way to terminate unwanted sweetgum trees.
What is “Hack and Squirt”?
Hack-and-squirt is a method of applying herbicide to standing trees by making cuts through the bark and inserting chemical into the fresh wounds.
This is an affordable option for terminating many undesirable trees one by one in a very targeted manner without harming nearby vegetation.
You’ll be applying chemical directly into the cambium layer of living trees. The chemical will get transported through the trees vascular system where, over time, it will kill the tree standing.
A tree’s cambium is a thin layer located just beneath the bark. It is the growing part of the trunk.
Can You Just Chainsaw Sweetgums Down?
You could certainly chainsaw sweetgum trees to the ground, but without some sort of immediate herbicide treatment, a downed sweetgum is going to root sprout like crazy. This quickly creates an awful jungle of tiny trees.
Chainsawing is also dangerous and creates an immediate mess that you have to deal with.
Assuming the tree is in a safe area, away from people, buildings, fences, and other personal property, it is often more preferable to just kill it while it’s still standing. Then you can walk away and let it rot down over time at its own pace.
5 Tools You Need To Hack And Squirt Sweetgum
- herbicide (Imazapyr)
- spray bottle
- hacking tool
- ppe (personal protection equipment)
- herbicide dye (optional)
1. Herbicide
There are other options, but the most popular herbicide for sweetgum trees is Imazapyr. I purchased my chemical from Amazon, which is labeled as “Imazapyr 4 SL”. I linked to it here.
Imazapyr 4 SL is basically the same thing as “Arsenal AC”. Either option is good for terminating sweetgum trees.
You only need 1 milliliter of chemical inside each hack. That equates to approximately a single squirt from most any spray bottle.
You should try not to drip this chemical all over the place, because unlike something like glyphosate, Imazapyr *is* soil active. While not common, it is possible to inadvertently kill an adjacent tree, especially if you’re careless with allowing excess chemical to run onto the ground.
Imazapyr can be purchased under the brand names “Arsenal AC”, “Polaris AC Complete” and “Imazapyr 4 SL”.
2. Spray Bottle
Pretty much any standard spray bottle will work for this method. As mentioned above, a single squirt is all that you need in each cut you make on the tree.
3. Hacking Tool
Use a hatchet or machete for making your hacks. If doing a lot of trees in a day, it’s best to avoid steel handled tools to save your elbow from all the repeated impacts.
4. Safety Gear
- Long sleeve shirt and pants
- Shoes and socks
- chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile gloves)
According to the label on my chosen chemical (Imazapyr 4 SL), you should wear a long sleeved shirt, long pants, shoes, socks and chemical-resistant gloves.
I am an eyeglass wearer, but if I wasn’t, I might would also wear safety glasses. I also prefer to use rubber boots when applying chemicals.
5. Herbicide Dye
I prefer to include a dye into my mixture. It helps you keep better track from a distance as to where you’ve already treated.
Timing Of Your Application
- late spring
- summer
- early fall before the leaves turn
Target your undesired Sweetgums late spring, throughout summer, or in early fall before the leaves begin turning.
You’re aiming for a period of active tree growth, but not during the time of heaviest sap flow in early spring.
Mixing Your Herbicide
For the hack and squirt method on sweetgums, I use a 25% mix of Imazapyr.
For a 1 quart (32 oz.) spray bottle, you would add 8 oz. of Imazapyr, and then top off with 24 oz. of water.
Be sure to use your PPE, especially during the mixing process.
How To Hack ‘n Squirt
Obviously, the hack and squirt process isn’t rocket science, but there are a few things to keep in mind so that you ensure successful termination of the desired trees, and only the desired trees.
The Hack
Use your hacking tool to create downward angled cuts through the bark and cambium layer of the tree. Use 1 hack per every 2-3″ of tree diameter at breast height (DBH).
A really deep cut into the “wood” of the tree is not necessary. As long as you make it through the cambium layer, that is enough.
Your cuts should form a sort of cup that will hold the chemical without it completely leaking out. Every cut won’t be perfect, but the point is to try to contain as much of the squirted chemical as possible.
Your hacks should be spaced somewhat evenly around the tree, but you don’t have to be precise. They should be approximately 2-3″ apart.
*approximate number of hacks per tree size
| Tree Diameter (DBH) | Number Of Hacks* |
|---|---|
| 1" | use another method |
| 2-3" | 1 hack |
| 4-6" | 2 hacks |
| 7-8" | 3 hacks |
| 9-10" | 4 hacks |
| 11-12" | 5 hacks |
The Squirt
Immediately after making the cuts, apply the herbicide into each cut or hack.
Go slow with your squirt!. It should be more of a slow squeeze instead of an actual squirt.
Let the chemical slowly run into your hacks. Most people leave their hacking tool buried into the tree, and use the hatchet’s blade to guide the chemical into the open cut. You should strive to not have chemical running down the bark of the tree after your squirt.
The idea is to create a small cup into the tree that will hold the chemical and give it time to absorb into the cambium without running off.
Clean Up Afterwards
After you’re done for the day, thoroughly rinse all equipment really well with water to clean off all traces of chemical.
Beware Of The Dangers Of This Process!
Don’t use this method near power lines, buildings, fences, propane tanks, parking lots, or any areas frequented by people. Otherwise, treating gum trees way out in the middle of the woods is mostly harmless.
Obviously you should use some common sense for which trees you hack-n-squirt. Eventually the trunk of the dead tree will fall, so you don’t want it to fall on any person, or anyone’s personal property.
Dead standing trees are mostly only dangerous when you are frequently hanging out around them, which would be kind of dumb. Certainly, don’t hang your deer stands near standing dead trees!
Conclusion
Target undesired sweetgum trees late spring through early fall before the leaves begin to turn.
Using a spray bottle with a 25% mixture of Imazapyr, apply a single squirt into fresh hacks all around the tree spaced about 2″ apart.
For more information on how to hack and squirt hardwoods, refer to the Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries and Parks hack-n-squirt how-to guide linked here.
When in doubt on anything, be sure to refer to the label that comes with your bottle of herbicide. While it can be a boring, you should always read the label.
You can expect trees to begin showing initial signs of dying within a month or so.
Augustus Clay
Now that you know how to kill sweetgum trees using chemicals, perhaps you’d like to know how to do the same to the weeds in your food plots. You can check that out here!
