Do I have to remove the root ball from shrub?

I want to remove some old shrubs and I chopped the branches, but did not dig out the root ball. Will the shrubs grow back or do I have to remove the root ball?

Do I have to remove the root ball from shrub?
That depends on the variety of the shrub. With some shrubs, (forsythia. burning bush, rose of sharon, etc.) they will sprout back out and actually come back thicker!


You have to keep cutting down the new foliage until the root ball dies, or dig it up. You can also keep spraying it with a glycophosphate vegetation killer such as Roundup brand. Another idea, if its practical to do so, is to cover the shrub area (after it`s been cut to ground level) with a round garden paver(stepping stone) to inhibit future growth, but this can be slow.
Reply:If you do not want them to grow back, you will have to dig out their root ball. You might be able to transplant them to another area of your yard if it's not too hot already where you live. Transplants are best done in the spring or fall, not summer. If you don't want them at all, just toss them, but make sure it's not somewhere else in your yard where they might take hold again.