What is a Hack-and-Squirt Treatment?

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- Hack-and-squirt herbicide applications are a target-specific and economical means for controlling unwanted trees and sometimes shrubs.

For this treatment, herbicide is introduced directly into the stem of the tree using cuts with a hatchet.

This makes hack-and-squirt particularly useful in stands where broadcast spray treatments are not feasible or desirable.

Typically, herbicides used for hack-and-squirt applications are water-soluble systemic herbicides.

This means they kill the plant by being translocated, or moved, throughout the entire vascular system.

Hack-and-squirt applications are generally used to control trees that are one engine diameter and greater.

Other options like cut stump or foliar treatments are more appropriate for stems less than one inch in diameter.

To carry out a hack-and-squirt herbicide application, cut into the stem around the trunk at waist height.

Cuts should be made using a hatchet or similar device at a downward angle and evenly spaced around the stem.

A good rule of thumb is to make one cut for each inch of the tree's diameter with a minimum of two cuts per stem.

Your cut should be approximately two inches long and spaced one to two inches apart.

When making cuts, make sure to penetrate the bark and into the living tissue or sapwood, and create a cupping effect to hold the herbicide.

Fill each cut with herbicide using a spray bottle or GunJet herbicide gun attached to a backpack sprayer.

Do not overfill the cuts.

Any herbicide that runs out is wasted and might impact non-target plants.

Hack-and-squirt herbicide applications are effective at any time of the year, except during heavy spring sap flow or severe drought.

Treatments are most effective June 1st to November 1st and when stems are not frozen.

Note that black birch may have heavy fall sap flow, which will render autumn hack-and-squirt treatments ineffective on this species.

Applications to control root suckering species such as American beech, black gum, and tree of heaven are most effective from July to the onset of fall coloration.

Hack-and-squirt treatments are most commonly used in hardwood forest timber stand improvement projects to deaden undesirable coal trees and evasive tree species like tree of heaven.

These applications help establish desirable regeneration by removing low shade cast by dense understories of undesirable saplings and poles.

Hack-and-squirt treatments control competition without impacting existing regeneration or desirable residual trees.

Hack-and-squirt treatments are effective for releasing crop trees and hardwood pool timber stands.

In addition, hack-and-squirt can be used to create standing dead trees called snags to provide desirable wildlife habitat.

Because hack-and-squirt treatments are designed for leaving standing dead trees, take into consideration the placement of treated trees.

Do not leave standing dead trees in areas frequently used by people.

Treated trees should be left standing for 30 days before being removed to allow for proper herbicide translocation.

hack-and-squirt herbicide applications offer target-specific and inexpensive means of eliminating unwanted tree species.

The method is applicable for use on steep topography and small ownerships.

It provides a flexible tool landowners and managers can use to accomplish a variety of vegetation management objectives over a wide range of forest types.

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As with any type of herbicide treatment, monitor the tree to trees for any signs of resprouting or the need for re-treatment.