OT: How to kill a stump

[Higgs Boson]

OK, this isn't strictly home repair, but I figure the gurus here have dealt with every possible eventuality, so here goes:

I am having two large evergreen bushes removed. They were standing on each side of my front walk. I intend to put large decorative pots in their place with appropriate plants. (Suggestions welcome -mini-climate is So. Calif coastal)

What's the fastest way to kill the stumps (approx 10" diameter)?

Last time I dealt with a stump, decades ago, one was supposed to buy a chemical and introduce it via holes bored in the stump.

Gardener told me to just use gasoline.

Any information out there on (a) fastest and (b) most effective, and maybe (c) least expensive way. (though that's not the deciding factor ).

[DD_BobK]

Have your gardener stick to mow & blow.....that gasoline idea is stupid, with the rain were bound to get for the rest of the year that's jsut asking for water contamination.

Depends on the type of evergreens. When cut off nearly flush with the ground, some will grow back, some will die. Italian Cypress when cut off flush will die (i"ve done a couple.

A 10" stump is a pretty large "bush".

You could just cut them off at such a height (flush by digging away enough dirt to get a chain saw in close) and very level that they could serve as the base for new pots.

Otherwise check this out

I've done the potassium nitrate thing but it takes awhile....I got impatient after a year & just dug / pulled it out.

Fastest....stump grinder. Cheapest.....do nothing & let nature do its thing.

Here's $25 worth of chems that are made for the job.

cheers Bob

[Jon Danniken]

Stump grinder.

Jon

[trader4]

Which also gets rid of the stump, so if that's needed, then a good solution, though expensive. Most evergreens will just die off and not re-grow. If you leave the stumps and new growth emerges, apply glyphosate (Roundup) at about 5%. You could also use one of the herbicides labled for brush, which are stronger, but more persistant, so I would stick with glyphosate if you want to plant anything there in the next year.

[dadiOH]

What I do...

1. Liberally apply Rodeo or Roundup to stump top. Best done when the the sap is running; i.e., when the plant isn't dormant.
2. Wrap aluminum foil or plastic over and around stump top, securing it around sides.
3. Wait

That should kill off the thing and avoid regrowth but it won't get rid of the stump; for that, you'll have to dig and pull, grind or burn.

[Joe]

Echoing the other opinions...BTDT and after hours and hours of hacking and digging, found out that the rental place had a stump grinder so that was the best answer by far. My tree removal guru charges $1.50 per stump inch for grinding, and that's with all his gear on site for other work. It sure is nice to watch someone else labor over it, though, and he always leaves the area spotless.

Joe

[DerbyDad03]

re: "My tree removal guru charges $1.50 per stump inch"

Cubic stump inches? Square stump inches? Diameter in stump inches? Height in stump inches?

re: "and that's with all his gear on site for other work"

What does it cost if he's coming over just to do one stump?

[Jon Danniken]

It's spendy to have someone show up and do it, but I noticed that I can rent a stump grinder from a rental shop, and even my local Home Despot rents them.

Jon

[Fishface]

It's not worth renting if it isn't sharp, and it probably isn't. I know this from someone else's experience...

[Higgs Boson]

Yeah, I'd like to know which it is too. Joe, please post.

As to renting a grinder, I've only checked one place on-line and they want $140/day, and ISTR about $200 for two days?

That's too much for me, so, waiting for Joe's input.

[DerbyDad03]

The only local place by me that has prices on their website shows $125/ day.

The others make you "request a quote".

[Jon Danniken]

Rental place near me has the minimum charge as two hours for sixty bucks:

Jon

[DerbyDad03]

2 hours?

The stump had better be in the front yard of the rental place to only need it for 2 hours...and that's if you know what you're doing!

[Tony]

I do know the worst way to get rid of a stump. Try burning it with a small fire. All that does is kill all the microorganisms and insects that will eventually destroy the stump. If you're gonna burn it, you better have one hell of a big and long burning fire.

[norminn]

Haven't tried it, but drilling holes and then applying high-nitrogen fertilizer will help stumps decompose more quickly (less than eternity?:o)

[Tony]

Hmmm.... I've drilled the holes but didn't add fertilizer. On one of them I sometimes leave corn on for the turkeys, I ended up with a corn stalk growing out of it. I left it grow, even watered it, but it didn't live very long.

[norminn]

Plant matter needs nitrogen in order to break down. Some garden sites advise extra fertilizer when gardeners use leaves or grass clippings for mulch, so that the plants don't suffer loss of fert. during breakdown.

[Jim]

find...then fill with deisel fuel....then light it and let it burn... If you can't light it then fill with salt to dry it out.....my neighbour uses bleach... Jim

[Red Green]

Higgs Boson wrote in news:18206609-3b25-45e4-9578- [e-mail]:

Plug in a TV facing the stump and tune to whatever plays Oprah the most.

[Stepfann King]

Breathe on it with your bad breath.