I'm clearing some land near my barn. Cutting down the trees was the fun part. Now it is stump time. Took at least 4 hours, probably a lot more (spread over a couple weeks) of digging and mattock work to remove enough roots that I could pull it with the tractor. Got a bunch more and I'm still debating whether to cut them flush or keep at digging them out. Time and fungi will eventually remove them all, but there is a nice sense of finality to digging them out. Plus it is good exercise. But digging in wet clay is not my idea of a good time.
Wow, bert! That's some tough work. It's good exercise for sure, but I don't think I've got it in me to do it. I've got several to get out myself, and I'm hoping I can talk my neighbor into coming over with his combination hoe. If not I think I'll wait till I can afford rental for an excavator. You are a determined man, bert!
I don't think the tractor is strong enough to pull the stumps even if I cut high but it is worth trying. Certainly won't be any more work than what I'm doing now. Im thinking about digging/cutting roots on one side and pulling or pushing the whole tree over. That would give me a good long lever arm.
Getting stumps out is never any fun. I've found it is best if you can get the stump out before you cut the tree! A lot of leverage there when the tree is standing. Otherwise, I've found if you have to dig, do the digging sometime between when frost goes out until usually late May as the ground will be softer then. But digging into clay is not good at any time and clay mud is really terrible. You are also correct that by digging and cutting roots on one side will help a lot.
