Kill roots, but not the plant

[Stopsignhank]

The return water from my swimming pool goes through a waterfall. I have gotten some roots in the rocks of the waterfall, but I don't want to kill the plants that the roots are for. The roots are hard to pull out so I was wondering is there something that I can put on the roots that will kill the roots, but not the entire plant.

 

[DrPizza]

Nothing I know of. Perhaps something known to kill the green parts of the plants by dessication? E.g., soap & vinegar& salt solution?

 

[Stopsignhank]

Thanks DrP. I was thinking of something fast acting that would just kill the roots but not be absorbed into the plant. I guess there is no such thing.

 

[turtile]

There's no herbicide you can spray on roots that won't transfer to other parts of the plant. You could create a barrier with sheets of copper since plant roots will stop once then hit the layer since copper is toxic in high quantities.

 

[gbeirn]

There's no herbicide you can spray on roots that won't transfer to other parts of the plant. You could create a barrier with sheets of copper since plant roots will stop once then hit the layer since copper is toxic in high quantities.

Pretty much this, copper wire or meshing will help keep roots from going where you don't want them. Since the plants send out roots in search of water, we would use the same technique when laying perforated PVC drainage pipe anywhere there were lots of trees. Keeps the roots from growing in the pipes and clogging them up.

 

[Blain]

Tear that waterfall apart and rebuild it. If water is flowing back into your pool, it should never have been able to contact roots in the first place.

 

[Stopsignhank]

I have to look into the copper thing. Reminds me of how they say to put a copper wire across your roof if you have moss on your roof.

Blain, I pull a dead rat out my pool about once a month. Roots are the least of my worries.

 

[Blain]

Copper sulfate is used in sewer pipes to kill roots.