Took a birch tree down in front of the the house this fall. The stump is probably 20 inch diameter. I was curious what people do to get rid of the stump. I plan on digging it out this spring but I was curious if drilling holes it it would accelerate decay? Also have heard op people packing salt in the holes? Is this a wives tale? Grandpa used dynamite I was born 10o years to late!
I rented a stump grinder but i had 30 plus stumps to get ride of and it worked great! Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk
Yup just this one here. I have had stumps ground in the past but it leaves a lot of roots to deal with.
I've dug 3 or 4" down around the stump dumped 20 pounds of charcoal around and on top and lit it off. Once the charcoal reached the steak cooking point I covered the whole thing with a metal garbage can lid and let it burn. Sometimes you have to add more charcoal to get the job done. Many times one load is enough because the stump will smolder for days. Depending on the size and type of stump, in a couple of days all ya gotta do is fill the hole with topsoil and grow grass. Metal roofing or even a couple of layers of aluminum foil weighted down will work in place of a garbage can lid.
Thanks. I seem to remember a Norwegian mebmber doing the same with splits. Ifrc he burnt the whole tree to get rid of the stump!
I like the charcoal idea. I can dig it but I’m not sure I’ll be able to pull it out of the hole into the woods.
I just leave most of them to rot out on their own, as long as they are below the mower blade. I've had some epic battles with mattock, digging bar, shovel, and fire. Most of them have a root that goes straight down that causes me the most difficulty. Only if you have some personal demons that you need to work out, do I recommend that. I've also tried drilling holes, doesn't seem to accelerate it much. Don't add the salt unless you want a perpetual dead spot on the lawn. And the stuff they sell is saltpeter, I believe. Didn't do a thing. Burning works if it's been dead for a while. Some stumps stay alive for years under ground. Green stumps don't burn.
I would let it rot in a different location but it is drirectly in front of the house it will bother me to look at it.
I thought this was a wives tale, just throwing it out there... With the salt my lab might lick it into the ground!
Dig around the base of the stump, clean the dirt off as best you can and get a carbide tipped chain. We do that for the cheapskates around here that don't wanna pay for the stump grinding. We only go an inch or two below grade. Not trying to kill ourselves here.
Here's what I did.. Find a metal 55 gallon burn barrel, cut it in half, put a hole in what was the bottom, and a hole in the ring piece.. Dig around the base of the stump enough to get the ring half around it and seal the bottom with dirt, find an old dryer exhaust tube and put it in the hole on the ring.. load the ring with charcoal and wood, I also drilled holes and filled them with diesel for a few weeks prior, get a good fire going in the ring.. Now the fun part, grab a beer and your leaf blower.. Drink beer then attach blower to the dryer tube, I used duct tape, put the other half of the barrel on the ring with the bottom facing up.. Start blower and let idle for a while and feel the heat!! refill beer and watch the stump turn to nothing!! took a couple days to fully get rid of it, but boy was it fun!! I have a video but can't find it.. heere the only pics I can find at my old house, no more apple tree stumps!! (disregard the neighbors house, one of the reasons for moving)
I like this solution. Totally makes sense, and it does sound like fun. My problem would be, most my stumps are bigger around than a 55 gallon barrel.
I hadn't thought of that. Squirrel stump removal. I've been feeding them for years, might as well put them on the payroll.
I’m all about the leaf blower fire starter! And when I don’t have time to watch a brush bile burn it makes quick work of it!
I had a Poplar stump, A little over inch diam. I drilled about 20 3/4 inch holes about 8 inches deep. Filled it with old motor oil and kept it topped off for at least 3 weeks. Didn't burn it due to location. Had a lot going on and forgot about it. Two years later the suckers have been growing, about 10 ft high now. There are a ridiculous amount of suckers and they kind of make a nice 'shrub'. Very surprised it came back like it did and that it actually looks pretty good. In hind sight, should have used charcoal and and a metal cover on it.
