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If you don’t remove a bush properly, it’ll come back each year. Removing the root system entirely is the only way to ensure the plant doesn’t have a chance to grow back. You can also use natural weed killers or you can choose to suppress the area with landscaping fabric. Additionally, consider planting alternative, non-invasive vegetation to deter the return of thorn bushes.

The most common alternative is burning the stump first, then dealing with the cinders and ashes. As you can imagine, this option creates fire hazards, especially since roots can burn underground, hidden, for long afterward. That’s why many states and cities have outlawed the use of stump burning entirely. We do not recommend this option as a viable alternative unless you get a permit from the local fire department and practice all safe burning procedures.

Others prefer a more long-term DIY approach of degrading the stump with home mixtures like Epsom salt and vinegar injected directly into it. This may help the stump decay faster, allowing homeowners to dig it out themselves, but it’s still a lengthy process. It usually takes months for a stump to start falling apart with such treatments, and in the meantime, it can be vulnerable to rot, insects, and other problems.

While you don’t need to put anything down before mulch, you can apply a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent weed growth. As long as you remove weeds before you spread mulch, you should be in the clear. But a herbicide is something that you can put down before mulch as an extra layer of protection.

Dormant seasons like fall and winter are the best times to dig up plants, including holly bushes. Plants aren’t growing during these seasons, so the removal process goes a lot quicker. Consider hiring a landscaping team to handle holly bush removal during the cold-weather months for off-season pricing deals, too.