I use Tordon RTU (ready to use) on my stumps after I cut a tree or sapling. Don't need to do the whole surface area on a stump. I squirt a very small stream around the outside perimeter of the stump. If you want to not use so much paint the outside circle with a brush so there is nothing running off. It doesn't take much. It's a cheap option too. A quart bottle around here is around $20 and you can treat a whole lotta stumps if you don't over apply. For small live trees and shrubs I use Crossbow and also I am using a tank mix of Tordon HL with Remedy and surfactant for spraying little bigger trees and wild plum thickets. You can mix Remedy with diesel fuel at a 3 parts fuel with 1 part Remedy and spray about an 18" chunk of trunk .... all the way around....and it should kill bigger trees. Yes trees are kinda over taking ditches and fence lines around here. And locust trees are terrible ! Good luck