tree stumps in the way

[micky]

I had an evergreen tree that got injured by snow, got old, died, and all but 18" broke off or fell over. I want to remove it and plant a rose bush there, but the roots will be in the way!

I have another pine tree that might be dead. I'd like to plant another tree in the same spot. Even if I pay the tree-trimmer to grind the stump, that's only down to ground level, is that right?

I wont' be able to put a tree there, or a rose bush in the other place, afaict. What to do?

I used to see some powder or something that was to be put in tree stumps and it made them rot away. Does that work?

[Ralph Mowery]

The tree men usually cut the stump almost level with the ground, Maybe a few inches above so their chain saw will not hit the dirt and ruin the chains.

A good stump grinder will grind down a good bit below the ground level. You may have to get of the grindings or have someone else do it. The 2 different grinders I have hired made me get rid of the grindings and fill in the holes if I wanted any of that done. From 2 pine trees that were over 2 feet in diameter and had some roots going out near the top of the ground I had a pile of grinding about 4 feet high and 6 feet in diameter if not larger. Used a dump truck of soil to fill in the holes.

[hubops]

The Dipperfox Stump Crusher drills through stumps and roots to 91 cm deep into the ground.

John T.

[Dean Hoffman]

This guy uses Epson Salt.

We could drill some holes in stumps on the farm. We'd pour kerosene or diesel fuel in the holes. Fire works. Can't the new plant send its roots around whatever might be left?

[invalid unparseable]

I've been messing around with a stump like that and at one point even added epsom salt. Zilch. Had some other pine stumps on an out of the way slope and termites were demolishing them. In fact they were hitting the roots as close as one foot to my house. I decided to have the perimeter of the house treated and it even killed off the termites in stumps as much as 20 ft away.

[rbowman]

FLE. It will get rid of those unsightly stumps in a flash.

In '89 the Forest Service was building a mountain bike trail. We could do most of it with conventional tools but one stretch was pretty gnarly. The smoke jumpers were having a slow season and volunteered to help. Mostly they wanted to blow shit up. About 1000' of FLE and instant bike trail.

We were also building a nature trail and one of the stops described pond succession. The pond was well down the path of turning into dry ground but a suitable application of high explosives set it back about 50 years. I was out there last weekend and it's made it up to cattails slowly filling in the open water after 30 years.

[rbowman]

We used saltpeter (potassium nitrate) Same deal, drill some holes with a brace and bit, fill them with saltpeter, add water. It took a while but the nitrates sped up the rotting process.

That was then. I don't know if you can buy saltpeter without triggering a bunch of three letter agencies today. I used to walk up the street and buy saltpeter and flowers of sulfur at the drug store. The pharmacist probably knew what I was up to but kids had a lot more leeway.

[Dean Hoffman]

Walmart has potassium nitrate for $15.50/lb.

[rbowman]

Looking at the various Amazon selections, $5/lb is more like it.

That one is free shipping.

[trader_4]

+1

IDK how deep they will stump grind, never asked. But regardless, he needs a tree service kind of operator. I would start calling and ask. Depends on the size of the new tree too. If it's four feet tall, just stump grinding probably could work. If it's more, then maybe they bring in a backhoe. A lot of the cost for a small job like this is just getting there and whether it's a grinder or BH may not matter much. I'd tell them it's low priority if he can wait a bit, that they could do it when they happen to be in the area on another job, etc. Or if he sees a BH working nearby, ask them.

[trader_4]

Excellent. Now he needs sulfur and charcoal and problem solved. Or he could just buy black powder. :) Seriously, I know various chemicals are supposed to work, but first, AFAIK, they are for basically trying to do what a stump grinder will do, eg get rid of the visible stump. I doubt they will take care of the roots that are in the way of planting a new tree. And I bet they take quite a while to do anything.

[Scott Lurndal]

If the service cuts the stump to ground level, you can just leave the grindings in place. They'll turn into very nice soil in a year or two.

[Ralph Mowery]

The man that cut down a crape myrtle tree for me told me to drill a few holes in the stump and fill it with some Roundup or equal. Then let it stand for a while before calling the stump grinder. So I did that. The stump had the power wire from the power pole at the road running under that tree from the markings the utility people made . I told the stump grinder to just take that one to ground level as the power wire may be under it.

Most of the crape myrtle was already down as it was smashed when the big pine tree fell on it.

[randy333]

I would worry that the stuff to dissolve the stump will hurt or kill and new plants there. It might be a no-mans-land for a year or two.

Stump grinder 6-12" deep,remove grinding debris, add good soil. Plant new tree or bush, roots can crack steel reinforced concrete, I think they will grow around or through old roots.

Randy ( not an expert)