I recently cut down a wisteria that was over 30 years old and had a trunk about 4 inches thick. Now, I have these shoots popping up around the stump, which I refer to as 'zombie shoots.' Unfortunately, I can't dig it up due to property line restrictions, and I'm not keen on using herbicides. Has anyone found effective non-toxic methods to eliminate these persistent shoots? I'm located in growing zone 6a.
3 Answers
Another option is to cut down the stump and paint it with a chemical solution, but if you're against that, the backhoe advice stands—get in there and dig out the roots if you have the ability!
If you're set on avoiding herbicides, one strategy is to keep cutting back those shoots as soon as they appear. The idea is that without leaves to photosynthesize, the plant will eventually run out of energy and die. Just a heads up though, wisteria is pretty tough, so it might take a while to see results.
You could try digging out as much of the stem as possible when you can, then cover the area with cardboard or old carpet to block sunlight and prevent new growth. Add some dirt and mulch on top to hide everything. It's like a little smothering strategy! It won't be a quick fix, but it might help.