Girdle or cut it down

I have a Salt Cedar that needs to go but I'm thinking it might be a good idea to girdle it in order to leave some habitat.  

The tree isn't close to any structure other than a fence.  I'm wondering how long it will take to actually kill the tree if I girdle it.  Supposedly the CAR won't live on a dead tree.

The cedar is keeping the life-cycle going on Cedar Apple Rust.

CAR is some nasty stuff.  This isn't my picture but I have had the same thing.

I would cut It down if its pouring out the rust .  Plant something in its place

Cutting it down and hauling off, far away, is a sure fire way to get rid of the rust cycle.
Girdling will take at least 6 months for all the needles to die out and stop providing rust habitat.
Taking off all the branches and removing them will stop the rust cycle but leave the trunk as habitat for critters like woodpeckers.

An alternative is to remove the hosting branches and either burn them in an incinerator or take them far away for disposal. This one leaves the opportunity for rust to continue even though you have removed the current growing, spore producing branches.

Redhawk

I think the rule of thumb is to cut down every cedar within a 1-mile radius if you don't want cedar apple rust to be a problem.  If that's not feasible--around here it's laughable--I don't know that cutting it down and/or removing it is going to be particularly beneficial, at least as far as the rust is concerned.

As an aside, it is kind of pretty.

Wes Hunter wrote:I think the rule of thumb is to cut down every cedar within a 1-mile radius if you don't want cedar apple rust to be a problem.  If that's not feasible--around here it's laughable--I don't know that cutting it down and/or removing it is going to be particularly beneficial, at least as far as the rust is concerned.

As an aside, it is kind of pretty.

I have read that number also.  I was thinking that cutting it down may slow it's roll or minimize it somewhat.  

Bryant RedHawk wrote:Cutting it down and hauling off, far away, is a sure fire way to get rid of the rust cycle.
Girdling will take at least 6 months for all the needles to die out and stop providing rust habitat.
Taking off all the branches and removing them will stop the rust cycle but leave the trunk as habitat for critters like woodpeckers.

An alternative is to remove the hosting branches and either burn them in an incinerator or take them far away for disposal. This one leaves the opportunity for rust to continue even though you have removed the current growing, spore producing branches.

Redhawk

Thanks Redhawk.  I really don't like any of my options.  I just planted five more bare-root apples.  I'm trying the Liberty as it's supposed to be hardy with the CAR.  The problem is it's a triploid and there aren't any pollinators that are also immune.  

David Livingston wrote:I would cut It down if its pouring out the rust .  Plant something in its place

Thanks David, probably the best option.