Re: Getting rid of a tree stump
 

Cut as low as possible with a chainsaw being careful not to run the chainsaw into soil as it blunts the chain instantly. Drill holes and regularly pour into the holes a tree stump herbicide (or good old diesel oil). If you cant wait you can hire a stumpgrinder for about £30-£40 from some ,not all, tool hire shops or pay a tree surgeon about £60-£70 for a small stump like that.
cheers,
chris

Re: Getting rid of a tree stump
 

or 20lb for some major refurbishments...


http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/w...iki-hih856.jpg

Re: Getting rid of a tree stump
 

What happens after the diesel oil, herbicide etc has been there a few weeks? Does it rot away, does it become mushsy, does it go all dry and cracky?

Re: Getting rid of a tree stump
 

Don't underestimate the size of some root balls. I've just had to get rid of about a dozen 30' Leylandii trees. Originally I cut them off about ten feet above the ground and then got my neighbour (farmer) round with his biggest tractor. I put a chain around the top of one of the stumps and asked him to give it some. He did and it came out alright, leaving a hole about 4' deep and 6' across! At this point I decided it might be considerably less work to cut them off flush with the ground and let them rot away.....which is what I've done.

Re: Getting rid of a tree stump
 

The old Blaster Bates method "Give it some thrutch":cool:

Not working

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6PGKcVr-8s

Re: Getting rid of a tree stump
 

Sorry but I disagree. The previous owner of our house had a fetish over conifers and digging the barstewards out took forever and was damn hard work. Plus you have all that stuff to shred or take to the dump. If we were not skint after moving I would have gladly hired someone with the right kit and knowledge to blitz them out, grind the stumps and cart it all away.

Conifers have resonably small rootballs. I would not like to try digging out a beech or other variety of tall tree that cold have some serious tap roots.

Re: Getting rid of a tree stump
 

With trees, generally the root spread will be 50% bigger than the canopy is, so a 50ft canopy will have root diameter of around 75ft, thats a lot of roots.

Re: Getting rid of a tree stump
 

Nope. I was a landscaper for 15 years (with qualifications as well as a few awards ;) ) They do come up fairly easily with a bit of work. Obviously i would whip it out quicker than someone with no experience but its not impossible.

Re: Getting rid of a tree stump
 

Well the tree has been felled, I got out the chainsaw, not my favourite tool, but it made light work and entertained the neighbours kids who got to give it the final push.
Big old root structure, I've bored holes in it and poured in some killer.
Nice big hickory axe in post from Amazon, that should entertain the postie.
Just dont know how long I have to wait before it gets weak.

Re: Getting rid of a tree stump
 

Sulphamate will eventually rot it, I've used it on horse tail (and it works a treat) and other stuff along with Ivy and Laurels (free tip if anyone has proplems). It can also be used as a compost starter, but I've no idea how long it would take to rot a trunk.

I'd say a few weeks, small stuff dies in a couple of days, Ivy was still dying back 4 weeks later, just test it every now and then, you can always put more on if you get to an un rotted bit. No idea if it's still travel through the roots though.