Removing palm tree stump

[Not]

My son lives in San Diego and asked my advice on removing the stump of a palm tree. So on our last visit, I piled some of my tools in a suitcase, including a hatchet, steel wedges, a small sledge, and a strong knife (my big ax wouldn't fit in the suitcase). Three TSA inspectors had heart attacks, apparently thinking they had caught a terrorist, but finally everything got to San Diego. I've broken out a few hardwood and softwood stumps with those tools, but had very little success with this palm tree. Most of the stump is reedy and very tough, and even dulled my knife. On the farm, dynamite was handy, but I wasn't sure they would allow it in San Diego. I even thought of burning it where it had dried, but I quit smoking and didn't have any matches, and they have so much trouble with wildfires out there I didn't want to risk causing more heart attacks. Not to malign the people of California, but all their back yards are fenced, with no gate big enough to bring in even a small bobcat, and I was too lazy to take down the damn fence for that, so the stump is still there. I didn't want to try a chain saw in the confines of the pit around the stump, for safety reasons. This stump looks too tough to decompose.

So what would be the best way to remove it, assuming I ever go back there again?

[Sanity]

If it's anything like a King Palm from Florida, the base is a round ball. Depending on the height of the tree the base widens I had 40 footers when I lived there and the ball was 5 feet in diameter. The way they pulled them out was digging a trench around the circumfirence of the ball then using heavy equipment to lift the ball.

[norminn]

The best way may not be legal :o) We had a palm stump in our condo yard that showed me how tough they are .. they are like a tightly wound ball of twine. No saw or knife would do signifcant damage, so we decided burning was "it". Now, a ball of string soaks up (and holds forever?) a lot of water. Well, oil and water don't mix but alcohol and water do. Just soak it, wait a while, light it...we got rid of enough of our stump that we were able to cover the remains with soil. I would not suggest that anyone do this if burning isn't allowed or if conditions are not perfect. It makes the day more interesting if you pour more alcohol on the stump while it is still smoldering; be sure to toss the can far enough that it can't burn anything else in the yard, the house or your helper :o) Fire extinguisher and water hose important to this project :o)

[metspitzer]

Yeah, I am sure he thought he had one of those Vikings from the Capital One TV commercials.

[charlie]

stump grinder to get it down 6", and bury it.

[metspitzer]

Get some video. :)

[dadiOH]

Most palms have very shallow roots. In sandy soil - such as we have here in Florida - I'd hook a chain around it and pull it out. I *know* it will come out with a tractor pulling, probably with a 4WD or truck, maybe with a car. Wet the soil down well first.

[norminn]

Don't know about that ... I've seen an awful lot of palms with the crowns snapped off after storms, but with the trunk still standing.

[Sanity]

The letter writer stated already that he can't get any equipment in the backyard.

[HeyBub]

Yep. The trunks are weak, too.

[Clot]

That made me remoniss.

I hope you can understand the accent. Enjoy.

[aemeijers]

They don't have tool stores in San Diego? You missed a Teachable Moment there, Dad. All the tools you listed are things any homeowner should have on hand anyway.

As to how to remove- sharp machete and something to keep sharpening it. You just keep nibbling away at it. If you have more money than time, a stump grinder or shovel and skycrane.

-- aem sends...

[gfretwell]

Create a fire break around the tree and use a couple big bags of charcoal for the fire. When the charcoal is burned off and the fire is out, shovel out the ash. The stump will be short enough that you can bury it.

[dadiOH]

All that he needs in the yard is one end of the chain. The other end can be outside.

[The Daring Dufas]

Rent a heavy lift helicopter.

TDD

[Phisherman]

You can pull out the stump using a chain and a tractor. The easiest and cheapest way is to let it rot. Nitrogen fertilizer (34-0-0) will help it rot faster. Burning is cheap too, but can be annoying to neighbors. Another option is to hire a stump-removal service.

[Oren]

Or, build a raised garden bed; fill it with soil, and grow food.

Getting the stump out depends on the size of the root ball. I have two palm stumps in the back yard. One has a 36 inch root ball, the other a

48 inch root ball. Not about to dig them out without big tools. So the rot!

[Stormin Mormon]

Couple things come to mind. Look online, or at the garden store for stump rot stuff. I've heard of drilling the stump full of holes, and then pack the holes with powdered milk. Supposed to speed up the rot.

The firebug in me likes the plan to soak the stump with alcohol, and light it up. I'd drill holes as much as you can, and then there will be more surface are to burn.

The one stump I took out. Sawed it off about three feet up. Cut around it as much as I could with electric sawzall. Took a LOT of blades from Harbor Freight. Cutting stump dulls blades at incredible rate. Then, I pulled it out with a come along tool, to the bumper of my van.

[norminn]

I've read that pouring sugar into the stump helps to speed the rotting. The articles also rec. adding some ant bait for the ants attracted by the sugar.

Don't have to drill anything - it is like pouring into a ball of string; soaks in quickly and burns (in our case) with a very low flame.

[Stormin Mormon]

Alcohol is typically very light blue flame. Almost invisible daytime. Smoke is visible, though. Extinguish alcohol fire with water, as needed. Sounds like a totally useful way to make a stump disappear.