I am in the process of creating a very clean looking area - kind of Zen garden with stones, arrangements etc...
I currently have grass growing and a few small trees.
Once I physically remove the grass and place the stones and a few boulders around the trees ... I know that even with the landscape fabric I will be getting some weeds and grass coming through.
For the purpose of maintenance - is it OK to use RoundUp or another general broad spectrum grass and weeds herbicide ?
It's my understanding that RoundUp works by penetrating the green leaves and kills the roots from within the plant....and it is virtually inactive when sprayed directly into the soil.
So I am guessing that if I am very careful NOT to overspray any of it onto the green parts of the trees - but only wet the grass - I will be able to maintain this "desert" look

Just want to confirm there is no risk of damaging the trees.

Thank you !

 

It may depend on the age/size of the tree but I wouldn't risk it.

 

It should not be a problem.
Just use a sprayer with a narrow stream and do not use it on a windy day.

 

Roundup affects the chlorophyll so as long as it doesnt get on green leaves its fine.

 

Roundup will clear surface ground stuff. If the tree is young with shallow roots I would be very cautious. Other wise I think you'll be OK. Just keep in mind that if it should rain soon after that stuff will migrate to the surrounding area.

 

It is OK to use glyphosate (the herbicide in many RoundUp products) underneath a tree.

Glyphosate is absorbed through the green growing parts of a plant. It is not absorbed through a tree's bark or roots. Glyphosate very readily binds with soil so once it hits the ground that's where it stays. It doesn't "soak in" or wash away so it's not a runoff hazard to rivers & lakes nor to groundwater. And glyphosate is broken down by bacteria in the environment so there is not a problem with it building up with years of use in the same area.

 

thank you guys !

Probably also good to mention; one of the trees is a spruce.... so no leaves....just needles.

 

Dont get it on anything green that you dont want to damage. That includes the overspray if its windy. So dont have your sprayer mist, or the mist will carry. A stream works best near anything sensitive.

 

OK, I'm not refuting anything anybody says here. But my own personal experience says that Round-Up migrates and kills surrounding grass. Because of that I switched to Spectricide brand. It is very accurate and in fact stays where you spray it. It even says that it will not migrate. I can use it to spot spray a weed in the middle of lawn and only that particular spot will be barren within a day. Tried with Round-Up and at least 6" dia would also die out. Just my 2 cents.