Copper nail in the tree: is that possible?

Do you have a tree in your garden that does not meet your expectations or takes up more space than you would like? Many property owners are wondering how they can kill unwanted trees without incurring high costs or having to observe tree protection regulations. This is where the copper nail comes into play. In German-speaking countries it is known that hammered copper nails cause trees to slowly but surely die off. But is that really possible, and if not, which method works?

Copper nail in the tree

The idea that a single copper nail could destroy an entire tree is simply absurd. However, many people believe that this could kill unwanted trees that either cannot be felled or can only be removed at great expense. If you really have to take care of one of the big plants this way, neither nails made of copper nor any other material like the following will help you:

• iron
• lead
• Brass
• aluminum

The reason for this lies in the ability of the plants to regenerate. Actually all tree species have high self-healing powers, which can easily grow even higher amounts of copper. Since even very large copper nails are only one point that is directly injured, not enough copper can penetrate the tree to slowly kill it. However, a discoloration of the place where the copper nail was hammered into the tree is typical. This shows that the tree reacted with the copper. Nevertheless, the copper nail cannot and will not be enough to endanger the trees.

Favoring factors

Copper nails can only be harmful if trees have the following properties:

• weakened by disease, pests or care mistakes
• old and weakened
• too brutal cutting measures

Since an already weakened plant giant can no longer fight the copper in the organism as effectively, the nails cause more damage. However, in the majority of cases it is not enough to cause the plants to die off. There is even a completely different case: the trees incorporate their nails. This means that over time, so much new wood is formed around the wound site that the entire copper nail is enclosed and thereby either only a small part or nothing at all can be seen from it is. This is possible because the tree separates the wound from the rest of the organism and, depending on the species, forms new wood. So using copper nails is simply not enough to effectively kill trees.

Note: If you want to injure a tree with a copper nail that is not on your property, you are liable to prosecution. If you are bothered by the neighbor's large, shady oak tree and you drive copper nails into the trunk, the owner of the property can claim several thousand euros in damages

Alternative blue water nail?

Have you ever heard of the blue water nail? This is a vial into which a copper nail is inserted. At the same time, it is filled with a solution of copper sulphate, which turns the water blue and increases the intensity of the procedure. With this method, users expect an effective solution to let the plants die off. Despite the ability of trees to regenerate, do blue water nails have enough toxic properties to really damage them? Yes and no. According to some experience reports, blue water nails should work much better than pure copper nails and even let the giant plants die. Just as many report that the nails are of no use at all. So, despite the higher amount of copper, you are not guaranteed to kill the trees. There are other methods for doing this.

Killing unwanted trees: ringlets

Since nails don't work in any way to kill trees without permission, you'll have to switch to other methods. An environmentally friendly variant that is not prohibited by law and does not disturb other plants, tree dwellers and the soil is the so-called ringing. Ringing is a forestry method in which a tree is prevented from flowing through the flow of sap by removing the cambium inside. Depending on the type, age and condition of the tree, this leads to its death within twelve to 36 months after the procedure. Although this process is time-consuming and energy-consuming, the method is all the more suitable for letting young and old trees die. Ringing is particularly effective against conifers, conifers except for spruce (bot. Picea) unfortunately like to attract bark beetles after the ringing.

tip: You can also use your tree as the basis for a climbing plant and thus over a course of several Let it die for months, as this removes a lot of energy from the trees without negatively affecting the surrounding nature affect. They are particularly suitable for this fast growing climbing plants like ivy (bot. Hedera helix) or the self-climbing wall wine 'Engelmannii' (Parthenocissus quinquefolia 'Engelmannii'), which you can then remove along with the remains of the tree.

time

Unwanted giants in the garden are best curled in midsummer from July to August or, depending on the species, after budding during summer. Since the trees lack many nutrients at this time, they can no longer adequately supply branches and trunk and weaken. Over the course of the next few years, the plants will perish and rot, leaving only a stump, some dead wood and roots that can be easily removed. You do not need to repeat the ringing in the following seasons, as it will not be possible for trees to regenerate the cambium during this time. All you have to do is wait after the ringing.

Materials and utensils

In order to implement the curling effectively, you need the right tools. Ringing is a task that you can only do by hand, as the use of equipment such as a chainsaw would be too imprecise. But that doesn't necessarily make it harder, because with the right utensils the task is actually quite easy. The following list gives you an overview of what you need to effectively kill unwanted trees:

• robust work gloves
• Finishing knife or tear hook
• Wire brush
• Draw knife
• Fabric ribbon

When choosing the ribbon of fabric, make sure that it can be tied around the entire trunk as it will be an important marker. Draw knives are known from forestry and the carpenter's profession. These two-handle tools make it possible to remove bark quickly and effectively. That's all you need to kill the tree in the garden.

Note: If you are not very vigorous yourself, consider asking a friend or family member for help with this project. Using the draw knife is not exactly easy if you cannot use enough physical strength.

Curling: Instructions

As soon as summer has come and you have the right tools ready, you can start with the curling. It is best to choose a day with good or dry weather, as ringing can quickly become exhausting in bad weather conditions. The following instructions explain the steps in detail how you can effectively carry out the curling:

1. Fabric ribbon

First, take the ribbon of fabric and tie it tightly around the trunk. To do this, stand directly in front of the trunk and place the band around your hips. This amount should be sufficient in most cases. If you are smaller or taller than average, you should estimate appropriate centimeters.

2. Remove the bark

Start by removing the bark. From this point on, put on the gloves to prevent injuries and blisters. The pull knife is used for this, which you grasp firmly with both hands and run over the bark. The strip must be five to ten centimeters thick and must not yet extend into the cambium. You may only work on the bark with the draw knife. You will have to process each area several times to remove the bark.

3. Proceed cautiously

Sapwood or heartwood must not be damaged in this step, otherwise rot will ensue, which in turn represents ideal Living conditions for pests of all kinds, which not only spread to the tree but also to the entire garden can. The ringing should ensure that the tree slowly rots from the inside out, but does not rot.

Sometimes you will come across pieces of bark that are bent inward. For these you either use the finishing knife or the tear hook, depending on what you have available. Remove these as well.

4. Cambium

Last but not least, the cambium is on. As already mentioned above, this must not be cut away. For this you use the wire brush and rub it down to the actual wood. This step can take a long time, depending on the tree species and trunk diameter. But give yourself enough time and take small breaks in between if it gets too strenuous. Don't worry, this step creates little noise and can even be done on weekends or late in the evening.

5. Discard the bark

Discard the bark on the compost. The tree must now be left alone for the next few years. Cutting or maintenance measures are no longer used here.