Gardeners world - getting rid of sycamores

[Silly Car]

Yes, I live in the north east and not many miles from Sycamore Gap, but I need to get rid of some sycamores stems which have taken root in my privet hedge. I’ve tried pulling them out by the stem but their roots must be well entwined with the hedge roots.

I don’t really want to use weed killer on them as it may contaminate the hedge so what options, other than take off and nuke the entire site, are there for getting shot of these invasive plants.

Yes, I know, there will be more in seeds hitting the ground in the autumn and I tend to spot the seedlings as they first appear and pull them free but there’s 3 or 4 persistent bastards I can’t shift.

[Pirahna]

Copper nails in what's left of the stuff you've cut. Paint it with roundup. Drill a hole and pour roundup into it. All of these at the same time.

[Mussels]

I feel for you, I had sycamores at my last house and they were a PITA. Just make absolutely sure before you remove any that nobody has taken a pretty picture of it, your neighbours won't appreciate the police arresting half of them to get to you.

[Taff]

Keep cutting it down as close to the ground as you can get, it will weaken every time it's cut.

[Dodgy69]

Table salt..

[gremlin]

Miserable sods. Where are love-struck, angst-ridden teenagers meant to slope off to in order to dote on the object of their affection, before inexplicably forgetting them for some other bird, only for them both to top themselves about two hours traffic of our stage ?

Madam, an hour before the worshipp'd sun
Peer'd forth the golden window of the east,
A troubled mind drave me to walk abroad;
Where, underneath the grove of sycamore
That westward rooteth from the city's side,
So early walking did I see your son:
Towards him I made, but he was ware of me
And stole into the covert of the wood:
I, measuring his affections by my own,
That most are busied when they're most alone,
Pursued my humour not pursuing his,
And gladly shunn'd who gladly fled from me.

[Silly Car]

Thanks everyone, even you gremmers!

The sycamores in question are limited to steams no higher than 3ft and incorporated within the hedge so nobody will notice they had gone, apart from me and IDGAS about them.

I’ll head over to Amazon and order up some copper nails