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Tree stump removal
Pat178
Posts: 2
Can anyone tell me how I can remove large tree stumps without it costing a fortune please? I have about 20 that are taking up a lot of room in our garden and can't wait for then to rot down and can't afford to have them removed by a professional.
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What sort of trees Pat, and what size? How long since the trees were cut down?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
They were mainly Lallandii and were cut down about 2 months ago, but some much longer as they have started rotting already. Sime are as big as almost a meter across.
Oh we have them too and as big as a meter also. I don't know why people let them grow that much. They supposed to be hedge. We had to cut them down when we moved into this house as council told us its covering the street light on the back. Had a fight with neighbour for it too as they wanted trees to stay in my garden but it was council who sent the tree surgeon and billed us for it. There was only needles where the tree branches were and grew some grass around it since. I put hot salty water on them after getting them cut and I let grass over grow for woodlice to do its job. They seem rotting at the moment but since they are huge it will take years probably to get them out.
You've got three options Pat:
1. Hire a stump grinder and DIY or hire a professional in with a stump grinder. Upside is speed. Downside is cost.
2. Dig the stumps out. Leylandi are relatively shallow rooted but sounds like you have some big stumps there and if they are already cut down to ground level that makes it more difficult as you have nothing to lever against. Upside is cost. Downside is effort required.
3. Create 'openings' in the stumps with either a chainsaw or large bore drill and apply stump killer. Upside cost. Downside is time for the stumps to rot out.
Take your pick.
Last edited: 20 August 2017 14:28:14
Don't know if is my imagination or actually helping our stump to rot, but when we change the oil in our deep fat fryer, my OH pours the old oil over the stump at the end of the garden and it is rotting down well.... might help.
Well put DH.
Almost every choice we make involves time v money.
I'm a Chemical Engineer and took an interest in this topic to clear a stump on my property. This video summarizes the methodology: https://youtu.be/tFjEjUwiueM
Here is a picture of the stump before I started:
To remove a stump yourself, it’s essential to have the right tools. you must follow these steps
Drill holes into the stump 8 to 10 inches deep. Fill the holes full of your high-nitrogen substance. Pour water into each hole. Chip off pieces as the stump gradually softens and finally Fill the hole with dirt as needed.