Getting rid of tree stumps naturally

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JHZR2

JHZR2

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Hello,

does anyone have a natural method of breaking down tree stumps? I have a few in my back yard that are from small to medium size trees that the PO took down. The stumps are still there.

One of them is in the area that I have turned into a garden, including for growing vegetables. I really dont want to use something that requires drilling holes, putting the stuff in and then filling the tree with kerosine to let it smoulder away - that seems like it will leave residues in my garden that are not beneficial given that I hope to eat the vegetables that I grow.

So, is there a natural, microbial or bacteria based stump dissolver product that works well? How do you get rid of tree stumps?

Thanks!

JMH
 
quote:
Originally posted by moribundman:
Termites of course!
Click to expand...
fortunately we dont have any of them around... and Id like to keep it that way!
 
I read something about boring holes and pouring sour milk in there to speed up the natural rot.

For gardening and yard tips, I usually go to a gardening web site:

Garden Guides

These people are like anal BITOGers when it comes to gardening.
 
What's so bad about digging them out?

Other than nasty hard work? I have pulled plenty in my life. Digging bar, selection of shovels, picks, axes, saws. Radio set to talk. Cold beverages. I wish I could join you.
 
You could hire or rent a stump grinder machine and take them down about 4 to 6 inches below the soil level. Cover them over with soil and let nature take it's course - 1 to 4 years (or more) depending on size and species. Of course, the stump will still be there underground and will impede shovels, etc..
 
quote:
Originally posted by Pablo:
What's so bad about digging them out?

Other than nasty hard work? I have pulled plenty in my life. Digging bar, selection of shovels, picks, axes, saws. Radio set to talk. Cold beverages. I wish I could join you.
Click to expand...
Can you say "masochist"???
wink.gif


Seriously, we have a lot of guys in our area that have those stump grinding machines that they tow behind a pickup. Now that most of the post-Ivan work is done, prices for us are dropping. Might be worth looking into.
cheers.gif
 
"What's so bad about digging them out? Other than nasty hard work? I have pulled plenty in my life. Digging bar, selection of shovels, picks, axes, saws. Radio set to talk. Cold beverages. I wish I could join you."

I agree. Spending some time at my brother's place there were some stumps in the front yard that I had to mow around. Poking around I fund a full sized ax in the garage, a file, and with a bit of time I managed to get them at grade. At home I use a 'whacking tool' that I made for such tasks, which is a sharpened lighter maul, 6 lbs or so. It's flat ground on both sides, and really makes the chips fly.
 
What about mechanical? Can be pricey but I recently had several large white oak stumps (4' - 6') plus extensive roots in the front yard leftover from the storm ground out. One of the two machines was remote controlled. The operator sat in a lawn chair upwind to avoid the dust and used a device that looked like a video game controller to do the work. Great results although the sites do remind me of tree graves.
frown.gif
I have let small (> 6") stumps just sit. Can take years. And we typically have adequate ground moisture and termites. Several years ago I tried to burn out an old pear tree stump (15") near the garden. After a year of many, many fires, I paid a stump grinder who was doing work for a neighbor and he finally got rid of it in 20 minutes for $35. The site is now under my eggplants. Grinders can also be rented.
 
OK, good thoughts!

Honestly, i never really thought about digging them out by hand - I dont have the access to get a truck (for pulling) or heavy machines back there to dig or grind them, because of the way the PO installed a deck... not that I knew that stump grinders existed.

I guess I should really have thought about diging it up and then chipping by hand until it was well below the surface. I can do tht pretty easy, I guess... A few hours and some cold drinks ought to do it. So long as theyre 6" below the suface, the area should be fine for gardening.

Ill likely do this, and what I leave beind under the surface will get holes bored into it and get a solution of sour milk, cornmeal, molasses, rotten vegetable juice, and whatever else anyone might reccomend
wink.gif


Thanks!

JMH
 
I've had good luck with the following method for tree stumps that for some reason I couldn't get at to pull out with a truck and chain. Dig down one foot for 12 inches or so all the way around the stump. Then chainsaw the top of the stump out. Of course, you put the chainsaw blade as close as you can to the bottom of the hole you dug. Use a number of cuts, cutting at different points around the trunk. Then fill the hole up with dirt. The uncut part of the trunk will be well below ground and garden level and will gradually rot away.
 
Another way to burn them out is with BBQ charcoal. Spread the charcoal on top of the stump, light it and let it smolder away. Several applications may be needed, and the stump should be cut as close to the ground as possible.
 
There are stump grinding services. They make the stump disappear with no chemicals or fire.

Try the yellow pages or the classifieds.
 
We charge $1.50 per inch, measured across the diameter to grind out. Can take it down to 18 inches below grade. If you don't want to use a stump grinding service, 10-10-10 fertilizer heaped on top together with surrounding dirt (for enzemes)will speed up the decay better than anything else.
 
my problem is that my house has the driveway very close to the house, with a fence on the other side. Plus there is a deck that jets out. Though there is plenty of parking, there is very poor access. I dont know why the PO did it this way, but it is whatit is for now... Its tough to get my little 91 BMW 318i into the tight parking spot at the back and to the side (past which the equipment would need to go). It would be VERY difficult to get heavy equipment back there.

So... is there a portable stump grinder? Does it have to be hauled on a truck or trailer?

At the price, I sure hope I can get someone with a machine to do it... it is one of those things that would take so long otherwise, Im not sure it woul dbe worth it.

More to find out... thanks very much!

JMH
 
Some of those big hungry Carpenter ants like we got around here work well, all natural to.
wink.gif
 
Probably too late for you now, but I have had wreckers yank smallish trees, large shrubs, etc., right out of the ground.

It's pretty fun to watch, and absolutely does not leave a stump problem behind, just a hole ...
 
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