Potassium nitrate as a stump remover?

[TheLoneRanger]

The technique is to use 45-0-0 fertilizer mixed with water, and pour the mixture into holes drilled into the stump. After 6 weeks the stump can easily be chopped away with an axe.

Potassium nitrate seems to be the same ingredient that's in the store-bought stump removers, but it's much cheaper in fertilizer form.
Has anyone tried this?
Thanks,
TLR

 

[JHZR2]

Haven't done that, but here is what I did and it worked like a charm, putting a foot + deep hole in the ground:

Buy a long 3/8 or so drill bit. Using the heaviest duty drill you have, put lots of deep holes in the stump from all angles/directions.

Start a fire, and get some pretty thick (I think ours were 3-4" diam.) logs to start burning on one side, so they have lots of glowing coals. Use as many as are necessary to completely cover the stump surface. Put them on the stump while about half of the logs remain, glowing side down, and press on them a bit.

Within 5 days youll have a nice pit...

HTH,

JMH

 

[Bret Chase]

heh... mix the 45-0-0 with diesel fuel... add model rocket ignitor. no more stump.

 

[ALS]

I use to use it in High school to make smoke bombs. 1 lb PN and a lb of sugar would be enough to cover a city block in white smoke. We use to fill Coke cans with the finished mixture and stick in a piece of canon fuse. Today I wouldn't want to try it due to the absolute zero sense of humor of those working in law enforcement.

 

[oilyriser]

did you ever try icing sugar?

 

[Sparkman]

The potassium nitrate/sugar mixture can be quite dangerous by the way. Not just smoke if done correctly. Using finely powdered ingredients increases the surface area, and it burns very quickly.

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I am also interested in easy stump removal.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

The nitrogen method is a way to speed up decomposition. I would not use any truly harsh chemicals or waste the area by burning. the organic material. Do you plan on growing something else in place of the stump?
In addition to the high nitrogen in the holes you can then cover the entire stump with manure and straw and other composting materials(grass clipping leaves food scraps .You should get a nice little Thermophilic compost pile going. Not only does it reduce the stump, it creates an excellent growing medium.
I am not a fan of the Boom or burn approach near homes.

 

[TheLoneRanger]

Wow, didn't know there were so many uses for this stuff. I plan on trying this method soon on a new stump in my yard. If I start on it now, maybe it'll be out by spring.

 

[JHZR2]

Quote:

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waste the area by burning. the organic material. Do you plan on growing something else in place of the stump?

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My burn was very controlled, with just coals, no dousing with diesel fuel, no flames, just wood smoke odor and a large clear area around the stump.

It doesnt seem as if harm has been done - I planted some sort of a pine shrub that the neighbord gave me, in the pit, with some peat moss and hollytone, and it is really thriving.

How does brning the organic matter hard the land? I was under the impression that the indians and even some farmers have used this method for a long time.

Thanks,

JMH

 

[Bryanccfshr]

It's more complicated than I can explain in a single post but if you consider the soil a living organism, fire is a natural occurance and some plants actually depend on it. But most of the nutrients in the stump will be burned off leaving an acidic ash. If the stump is decomposed by microorganisms the nutritional value is kept in place. Organic matter breaks down into humis and humic acids that feed the organisms in the soil and act as chelating agents to make minerals in the soil available to plants. If you burn the organic matter the ash does not produce humic acids. If you live in the northeast you probably already have acidic soil conditions so your local plant selections are already acid tolerant. If someone planted a plant that preferd alkaline soils in that spot after a burn it may not do well.

 

[Shannow]

Bryanccfshr, aren't a lot of plant ashes alkaline rather than acid ?

It's been used as an "improver" here for a hundred years, as our native soils typically require lime...although the ash is "instant lime" and doesn't last.

BTW, the best grass on my grandad's paddock was where he burned the blackberries off...or maybe it was the zinc, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous in the used engine oil that he poured over them before combustion.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Shannow, you have cought me in a mistaker that reveals I need to get offline and get some sleep! You are correct that ashes are alkaline and therefore would benefit acidic soils. In limestone based Texas soil I have to avoid ash since my soils ph is ofen 8 or above. So if the soil is acidic ashes actl like lime to neutralize the soil. For my alkaline soil I try to increas overall organic matter and therefore humic acids to make the minerals in the alkaline soil available to the plants. Chlorosis is often cured with direct applications of humic acids or (compost teas)without any additional iron added to the soil.
Before we recycled oil(before anyone knew better) my grandfather would have me apply used oil to the fenceline to control weeds..that was a mistake, those weeds always came back greener and taller. perhaps a Carboloic acid effect.

 

[Shannow]

humus is good...no matter which way you are going, acid/alkaline, clay/sand.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Yes it's good stuff part of the complex soil food web. You follow the organic approach? My wife works here at Gardenville

and we both have the privelege of learning personaly from Malcolm Beck

 

[Shannow]

I try to be pretty much organic (I DO put epsom salts on my citrus, as prawn heads don't stay buried with a husky x samoyed in the yard).

I reclaimed my backyard from a 20 year regime of "liquid lawnmower" (glyphosphate) by letting the thorny weeds grow, followed by the dandelions taking over, followed by some succuletn nitrogen fixers, followed by kikuyu grass making a kid proof green thing that needs mowing/edging like you wouldn't beleive.

Cool links.. thanks.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Epsom salts are a good magnesium. Tomatoes seem to like it too. I have dogs that don't like to dig (how can they be dogs?) they stay out of my compost pile even though I do dispose of food scraps and meat and fish trimming there.