The 10 Best Ways to Kill a Fig Tree

Fig trees are well-loved for their delicious fruits and wide canopy which provides great shade. However, this fast-growing tree also grows thick roots that are notorious for their destructive tendencies.

Without adequate preventive measures and left unchecked, the fig tree’s hearty roots spread wide and big enough to damage building foundations, sidewalks, driveways, and pipes, among others.

Thus, when push comes to shove, you’ll be left with no choice but to remove it. To brave such a challenge, we’ve listed the most effective ways to kill a tree along with easy-to-follow steps.

What’s the best way to kill a fig tree?

The most effective way to kill a fig tree is by hiring a certified arborist to get the job done as this ensures a safe and clean removal.

Though if you’re willing to do it yourself, grinding is the best method as it works on even the largest and most established trees. By using a powerful machine, you can easily pulverize the stem and roots.

How far and deep do fig tree roots spread?

Despite having shallow root systems, the roots of fig trees can generally extend up to 25 feet deep and 50 feet wide. Though in the wild, they can grow as deep as 400 feet.

Even then, they typically only extend anywhere from 1 to 5 feet deep as fig trees tend to prefer to grow surface roots. 

Apart from that, their roots have the tendency to develop horizontally rather than vertically, in most cases.

Hence, it’s best to manage their growth early on and plant them in spacious areas to prevent any structural damage.

Because they’re fast-growing, most gardeners make the mistake of transferring them from their containers to in-ground soil. This gives them more room to develop and spread their roots.

Thus, it’s best to keep the root growth of fig trees contained while they’re young.

Most Effective Ways to Kill a Fig Tree

1. Girdling or ring barking

This method is the easiest and fastest way to get rid of a fig tree. Having been executed for decades, it involves cutting 2 to 4-inch-deep gashes around the entire body of the tree to hinder its transport systems.

It’s interesting to note that the bark of the tree also contains phloem. Hence, if you remove the bark, you’re also removing a small section of the phloem.

However, this isn’t enough to kill the tree as there’s another layer of phloem deeper within. It’s only when this sheet is removed that the transportation of resources will be significantly affected.

Hence, your cuts should be about an inch deep and about 4 to 8 inches wide. For bigger fig trees, it’s recommended to cut at the roots, too, as they’re more resilient than younger trees.

To be specific, you’ll need to penetrate through the following layers: 

• Bark, which acts as a protective outer layer;
• Cambium, which stores the food and nutrients;
• Xylem, which is in charge of transporting water and minerals from the roots to the leaves; and 
• Phloem, which is responsible for bringing food from the leaves to the roots

Keep in mind that these layers are arranged in chronological order, from the bark being the outermost covering to the phloem.

Removing all of these parts will halt the transportation of essential resources such as nutrients, amino acids, water, oxygen, sugar, energy, and minerals, to name a few.

It’s also important to note that your cuts are supposed to encircle the entire circumference of the tree’s base. Take note that a tree can survive and fix itself if only half of its circumference is cut.

This is to make sure that the transportation of resources is cut off. As a result, the lower and upper half of the tree will slowly begin to starve to death.

For extra measure, you can lacerate several scores parallel to one another at just a couple of inches apart.

Apart from that, you can also generously paint poison such as glyphosate or Triclopyr, too. This hastens the process as it’s directly applied to the interior of the tree.

Signs of deterioration can begin to show as early as 24 to 48 hours after girdling the tree. 

However, wilting may come earlier or later depending on how well-established the tree is, its environmental conditions, and the sizes of the cuts, among other factors.

If you’ve noticed indications that your tree has begun to bridge the wound and regrow, you’ll have to redo the entire process. This time, ensure that your cuts are deeper and larger. 

What To Do

1. Using a sharp tool such as a knife, hatchet, or chisel, carefully scrape about 1 to 2 inches deep and 4 to 8 inches wide. 

It’s vital that you go around the entire circumference of the tree’s base to successfully cut off any flow from the bottom to the top and vice-versa.

For extra measure, you can also slash at any of the exposed surface roots.

2. Wait for a couple of seconds for the fig tree’s green tissue to turn white.

3. Generously apply poison or herbicides immediately to the exposed areas. 

4. Observe for any signs of deterioration and wilting. These include the following:

• Yellow and wilted leaves
• Sparse canopy
• Poor and diminished yields
• Loose or falling branches
• Stunted growth
• Holes and cracks on the bark
• Excessive leaning
• Fungal growth

5. Immediately after your fig tree has died, carefully remove it from the premises. 

This is because after a tree has died, it becomes weak and unstable, heightening the risk of it breaking and falling over unpredictably. 

6. Fill the hole where your fig tree used to be with sawdust or loam soil. Leaving the ditch alone and unattended will cause the soil surrounding it to weaken over time and become a safety hazard.

2. Pulling the tree out of the ground

While uprooting a fig tree sounds pretty straightforward, it’s one of the most laborious methods to get rid of it. Even then, results are quick and effective if done correctly.

So if you don’t mind breaking a sweat and have a couple of helping hands with you, then go for it!

When pulling a tree out of the ground, you don’t want to just yank it out as chances are it’ll put up quite the fight.

The secret to making it easier to pull out is by watering the soil deeply the night before you intend to uproot it. This softens and loosens the soil making it easier to work with.

This way, there’s less resistance since you’ve taken away the soil that the fig tree’s holding onto. 

Even then, it’s worth noting that this method is typically easier and faster with young and small-sized fig trees. 

What To Do

1. The night before you intend to dig up your fig tree, heavily water the surrounding soil to loosen and soften it. 

2. The following day, inspect if the soil is soft and easy to work with. To make the soil more pliable, lightly dampen it.

3. Using an excavation tool such as a shovel or spade, carefully dig out the excess soil to expose the roots of the tree. 

4. Using shears or loppers, cut away as many loose roots as possible. You can also pull them away by hand.

Be careful not to cut away too many of the main roots. You’ll want to keep this intact so that you can pull it out together.

5. Next, position a grub hoe to hack away at stubborn pieces of excess soil and roots. 

6. With a firm grip on the fig tree, rock it back and forth to loosen it from the ground until you can see the root ball.

7. Using a shovel and a couple of helping hands, remove the root ball from the ground. 

8. Fill the hole where your fig tree used to be with sawdust or loam soil. Leaving the ditch alone and unattended will cause the soil surrounding it to weaken over time and become a safety hazard.

To avoid your fig tree going to waste, you can chop it up and use the wood as an organic layer for raised beds. Meanwhile, its leaves can be used as mulch for insulation and moisture retention.

3. Pouring horticultural vinegar

It’s no secret that distilled white vinegar works wonders as an organic herbicide for tackling nasty weeds. However, you’ll need a more powerful variation when dealing with trees.

Vinegar contains acetic acid which is a combination of 4 various acids created through fermentation. In large concentrations, it can burn through leaves and roots. 

While household white vinegar only contains about 4% to 8% acetic acid, horticultural vinegar is 4 times as strong with a whopping 20%.

To increase effectiveness, this method is best done in warm conditions. If possible, administer the horticultural vinegar on the day you expect the hottest temperatures with no rain or wind.

This is because direct contact with the sun will increase the burning process as there’s no moisture present in the atmosphere.

Even then, this method typically works best with fig trees that are still quite young and haven’t developed a robust system yet.

Aside from burning the plant, horticultural vinegar will cause a pH imbalance in your soil which could affect other plants grown in the same area. Nevertheless, you can nullify it with bicarbonate.

Before you begin, keep in mind that vinegar is a non-selective organic herbicide which means that it can damage nearby plants given its corrosive nature if you’re not careful when applying.

In the same vein, it’s highly toxic to humans and animals. Thus, properly cover yourself with appropriate protective gear and keep it away from young children and pets.

What To Do

1. Since horticultural vinegar can cause burns and irreversible eye damage, it’s important to wear appropriate protective gear. 

Always use goggles and gloves, along with a mask, long-sleeved shirt, and pants when handling.

2. Using a power drill, create several holes into the base of the fig tree. If there are any exposed surface roots, you can drill holes into these as well.

You’ll want the holes to be deep enough that the tree can easily absorb the horticultural vinegar.

3. Generously pour the horticultural vinegar into the holes, onto the stump, and the surrounding area

For the leaves, evenly coat the fig tree’s foliage with a spray bottle until fully coated and wet. You can mix 1 gallon of vinegar with 1 cup of castile soap to help it adhere better to the leaves. 

4. Observe for any signs of deterioration and wilting. These include the following:

• Yellow and wilted leaves
• Sparse canopy
• Poor and diminished yields
• Loose or falling branches
• Stunted growth
• Holes and cracks on the bark
• Excessive leaning
• Fungal growth

5. Immediately after your fig tree has died, carefully remove it from the premises. 

This is because after a tree has died, it becomes weak and unstable, heightening the risk of it breaking and falling over unpredictably. 

6. Fill the hole where your fig tree used to be with sawdust or loam soil. Leaving the ditch alone and unattended will cause the soil surrounding it to weaken over time and become a safety hazard.

4. Poisoning the tree with Epsom salt

Poisoning your fig tree with Epsom salt is another easy and affordable way to kill it with little to no fuss. 

This process simply entails drilling a couple of deep holes around the base of your fig tree and its exposed surface roots.

Then, mix 1 part Epsom salt with 2 parts water. All you have to do next is to pour the solution into the holes and cover them up. 

Be wary of adding too much water as this could cause the Epsom salt to lose its potency which could affect its effectiveness.

While Epsom salt is typically used for baths and medicinal purposes, among others, its secret to killing fig trees is by drawing out all of the moisture.

Drying out the tree inhibits food production along with the absorption of water and nutrients in the soil. Over time, it’ll begin to rot away, making it easier to uproot and dispose of.

Do note that it can take anywhere from 6 to 12 months before your stump is completely rotted away.

What To Do

1. Using a power drill, puncture holes that are at least 7 inches deep at about 1 inch apart from one another. 

You’ll want these holes to be as deep as possible for the tree to be able to easily absorb the Epsom salt mixture.

2. Mix 1 part Epsom salt with 2 parts water. Since Epsom salt is soluble, you shouldn’t have any difficulties getting them well incorporated.

3. Generously pour the Epsom salt mixture into the holes, onto the stump, and surrounding area.

As for the leaves, use a sprayer to evenly coat the foliage until it’s wet.

For added measure, you can pour a liberal amount of Epsom salt into the holes.

4. Cover the areas that you’ve doused with the Epsom salt solution with heavy-duty, dark-colored plastic or tarpaulin.

5. Reapply the Epsom salt mixture weekly until the stump completely dries out.

6. Observe for any signs of deterioration and wilting. These include the following:

• Yellow and wilted leaves
• Sparse canopy
• Poor and diminished yields
• Loose or falling branches
• Stunted growth
• Holes and cracks on the bark
• Excessive leaning
• Fungal growth

7. Immediately after your fig tree has died, carefully remove it from the premises. 

This is because after a tree has died, it becomes weak and unstable, heightening the risk of it breaking and falling over unpredictably. 

8. Fill the hole where your fig tree used to be with sawdust or loam soil. Leaving the ditch alone and unattended will cause the soil surrounding it to weaken over time and become a safety hazard.

5. Poisoning the tree with rock salt

Similar to the Epsom salt method, using rock salt is another low-cost method to get rid of your fig tree.

It works by drawing out the moisture of the tree, effectively drying it to death. It contains sodium and chlorine which, in large doses, can also cause nutrient and mineral imbalances, leading to death. 

It also requires drilling several deep holes around the base and any exposed surface roots of the tree. Here, a bountiful amount of salt will be poured and lightly watered every few weeks for about a month or two.

This not only hastens the fig tree’s decomposition process but also stimulates the growth of fungi.

Before anything else, take note that rock salt doesn’t discriminate, which means that it can harm plants in the surrounding area. Hence, you’ll want to be cautious when applying to prevent any unwanted casualties.

What To Do

1. Using a power drill, puncture holes that are at least 7 inches deep at about 1 inch apart from one another. 

You’ll want these holes to be as deep as possible for the tree to be able to easily absorb the Epsom salt mixture.

2. Pour a liberal amount of rock salt into the holes, onto the stump, and the surrounding area.

3. Next, lightly dampen the holes with water.

4. Cover the holes with heavy-duty, dark-colored plastic or tarpaulin.

5. After a week, reapply a generous amount of rock salt into the holes, water lightly, and then seal.

6. Repeat weekly for about a month or two.

7. Observe for any signs of deterioration and wilting. These include the following:

• Yellow and wilted leaves
• Sparse canopy
• Poor and diminished yields
• Loose or falling branches
• Stunted growth
• Holes and cracks on the bark
• Excessive leaning
• Fungal growth

8. Immediately after your fig tree has died, carefully remove it from the premises. 

This is because after a tree has died, it becomes weak and unstable, heightening the risk of it breaking and falling over unpredictably. 

9. Fill the hole where your fig tree used to be with sawdust or loam soil. Leaving the ditch alone and unattended will cause the soil surrounding it to weaken over time and become a safety hazard.

6. Cutting the tree down and treating the stump with herbicides or chemicals

What’s great about this method is that it can be done on a fig tree of virtually any size. Though, larger and more established ones may be rather challenging to cut down. 

Nevertheless, this is one of the most effective methods because by cutting the tree down to its stump, you’re exposing a large chunk of the tree’s interior. 

This way, the direct application of herbicides or chemicals will work faster and more efficiently than simply applying it to the outer bark.

Though, it’s important to act quickly and apply the treatment immediately on the living tissue. If you wait any longer, the tree will begin to treat itself which can prevent proper absorption.

When selecting the right herbicides, you want to look for the following active ingredients:

• Glyphosate, which is great at killing woody plant species
• Triclopyr amine, which is effective at dispatching woody plant varieties
• Triclopyr ester, which is the most helpful at getting rid of woody plant species
• Aminopyralid, which works best on legumes
• Imazapyr, which is best applied on woody invasive plants

Because these ingredients are rather strong, it only takes a couple of weeks before the tree dies and can be removed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that most herbicides have active ingredients with varying requirements. This means that some may need to be diluted in water while others can be used right out of the box.

Hence, it’s vital to properly go through the instructions and follow its application process as prescribed to ensure safe and optimal results.

Also, remember that these herbicides are non-selective, so they’ll cause damage to any plant that they come into contact with, intentional or not.

Thus, make sure that there’s no wind or rain during your application day to prevent run-offs that could harm nearby plant life.

What To Do

1. Safety precautions are necessary when cutting down a tree and using chemicals. Always wear goggles and gloves, along with a mask and personal protective equipment.

Avoid wearing items made out of leather as it will soak up the herbicide.

2. Carefully prepare the herbicide as instructed. For easier application, you can use a sprayer.

You can also add colorant or dye to make it easier to identify areas that have already been treated.

3. Cut the tree down to its stump leaving only about 1 to 2 inches away from ground level.

You don’t want to cut any higher than this because you don’t want these stumps to be hazardous to pass through. In other words, an unsuspecting person could accidentally trip over the stump.

You can also cut away at the bark and roots to increase the exposed surface area.

4. Right after cutting, immediately spray a generous amount of herbicide all over the top of the stump and around the bark, evenly coating the circumference of the fig tree.

5. Observe for any signs of deterioration and wilting. These include the following:

• Yellow and wilted leaves
• Sparse canopy
• Poor and diminished yields
• Loose or falling branches
• Stunted growth
• Holes and cracks on the bark
• Excessive leaning
• Fungal growth

6. Immediately after your fig tree has died, carefully remove it from the premises. 

This is because after a tree has died, it becomes weak and unstable, heightening the risk of it breaking and falling over unpredictably. 

7. Fill the hole where your fig tree used to be with sawdust or loam soil. Leaving the ditch alone and unattended will cause the soil surrounding it to weaken over time and become a safety hazard.

7. Using a basal bark herbicide application

Basal bark herbicide treatment is composed of herbicides and oil-soluble surface-active agents. As a result, it’s only capable of penetrating through thin barks,

While basal bark treatment is highly effective at killing many invasive woody plants, its powers are limited to trees with stems that have diameters that are only 6 inches, at most.

Hence, if you’ve got a large fig tree on your hands, you may want to explore the other options on this list instead.

The application is rather straightforward as it only needs to be put on the entirety of the lower half of the bark.

The tree will absorb the herbicide and take it all the way to its root system where it will effectively be killed.

However, this method isn’t recommended if you have grazing animals that tend to rub themselves against the stems of trees.

What To Do

1. Safety precautions are necessary when cutting down a tree and using chemicals. Always wear goggles and gloves, along with a mask and personal protective equipment.

2. Carefully prepare the herbicide as instructed. For easier application, you can use a sprayer.

You can also add colorant or dye to make it easier to identify areas that have already been treated.

3. Generously coat the entirety of the stem’s bottom half, around 12 to 15 inches. Be sure to include the base nearest to the root.

Be sure not to overdo it as you don’t want the herbicide to run off or puddle. Avoid spraying on leaves, too, as it won’t be effective.

Instead, concentrate on the lower half of the stem.

4. Observe for any signs of deterioration and wilting. These include the following:

• Yellow and wilted leaves
• Sparse canopy
• Poor and diminished yields
• Loose or falling branches
• Stunted growth
• Holes and cracks on the bark
• Excessive leaning
• Fungal growth

5. Immediately after your fig tree has died, carefully remove it from the premises. 

This is because after a tree has died, it becomes weak and unstable, heightening the risk of it breaking and falling over unpredictably. 

6. Fill the hole where your fig tree used to be with sawdust or loam soil. Leaving the ditch alone and unattended will cause the soil surrounding it to weaken over time and become a safety hazard.

8. Burning the tree

Burning a tree down is one of the quickest ways to get the job done. While it can take the whole day to accomplish, it’s a cost-effective method, making it an ideal choice for those on a budget. 

However, burning a tree is illegal in certain areas because of fire codes. As a result, it’s vital to verify with your local government and fire ordinance if it’s permissible; else, you could get in trouble with the law

Aside from that, this method isn’t recommended for trees in dry areas that are prone to wildfires. Thus, you’ll want to evaluate whether it’ll be safe for you to carry out.

Given the dangers of this method, we suggest having some extra hands nearby along with fire extinguishers as a safety precaution.

What To Do

1. Get in touch with your local government and fire ordinance to verify whether burning your tree is permissible. 

2. After securing a clearance, chop down your tree until there’s only a stump left. This way, there’s less material that’s burning which can reduce the likelihood of the fire getting out of hand.

3. Clear out the surrounding area of any plants that can catch fire. You’ll also want to remove any flammable material nearby.

4. Secure a fire extinguisher and a water hose to keep at hand just in case the fire gets too big.

5. Drill several holes into the tree stump. Ensure that they’re no less than 2 inches wide and 8 inches deep.

The taller your stump is, the deeper your holes need to be as they allow the fire to burn further into the bottom of the stump.

6. Fill each hole with kerosene along with flammable materials. Add a bit of these to the top of the stump, too.

7. Light the stump on fire and gradually add more flammable materials when it begins to die down. 

8. Allow the stump to continue to burn while keeping a close eye on it. 

9. After the stump has completely burned into ashes, leave it to cool before discarding it.

10. Fill the hole where your fig tree used to be with sawdust or loam soil. Leaving the ditch alone and unattended will cause the soil surrounding it to weaken over time and become a safety hazard.

9. Grinding the tree

If you’re looking for a method that only takes a day or two to successfully get a fig tree out of your property, then this may be it.

Using a stump grinder does just what its name suggests – it breaks apart and grinds the wood into chips using a strong, rotating blade. 

Hence, this method is ideal if you’ve got a large and well-established tree that has sprung a lot of extensive surface roots. Even then, it could take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours depending on how hardy your tree is.

While you can typically hire a professional to bring their stump grinder and do the work for you, there are some for rent, too. Though, these are typically smaller and weaker than what’s used by arborists.

Nevertheless, grinding a tree stump down yourself can be worthwhile if you know someone that knows how to use a grinder. 

Otherwise, hiring a professional may not be that bad of an option, especially if you’ve got the money to spare.

What’s great about this method is that you’ll have a ton of wood chippings at your disposal. You can use these in your mulch or as an additional layer in your raised beds.

What To Do

1. Wear personal safety gear to protect yourself from any flying debris. This includes personal protective equipment such as a mask, gloves, and face shield, among others.

Avoid wearing clothes that show skin, too, as you could risk getting small splinters lodged into your body. 

2. Prepare the tree by cutting away the canopy and the upper half of the tree until only a small stump is left. 

Get the surrounding area ready by removing debris such as plants and rocks. 

3. Using an excavation tool such as a shovel or spade, carefully dig out the excess soil to expose the roots of the tree. 

4. Using shears or loppers, cut away as many loose roots as possible. You can also pull them away by hand.

Be careful not to cut away too many of the main roots. You’ll want to keep this intact so that you can pull it out together.

With a grub hoe to hack away at stubborn pieces of excess soil and roots. 

5. Carefully break down the stump and roots with the grinder. Depending on the size of your tree and how sturdy it is, this process could take a few hours.

6. After you’ve completely ground away the tree, fill the hole where your fig tree used to be with sawdust or loam soil. 

Leaving the ditch alone and unattended will cause the soil surrounding it to weaken over time and become a safety hazard.

10. Hiring a certified arborist

Among all of the methods listed, hiring a certified arborist is definitely the least labor-intensive. However, it may be the most expensive option.

Nevertheless, hiring a professional comes with a ton of advantages that often outweigh doing the job yourself.

Firstly, arborists have years of technical training and experience up their sleeves. Hence, they’re highly skilled at maneuvering around power lines and similar tricky spots.

It’s often overlooked how dangerous removing a tree can actually be. By hiring a professional, you’re saving yourself from potentially unsafe and dangerous situations since you lack the necessary training.

Another advantage of hiring an arborist is that they have all the necessary equipment that an ordinary person may not be able to get a hold of. They have modern technology to make the job a breeze without causing too much of a mess. 

Speaking of, most arborists clean after themselves, which also saves you the time and effort of disposing of a whole tree.

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