Tree Stump Removal -- The Cheap and Easy Way
Wednesday September 3, 2003
You've decided to remove a tree from your landscape. So you lace up your Paul Bunyan steel-toed boots and saunter out there to cut it down. You even remember to yell, "Timber!" at just the right moment. You're darn proud that it fell where you wanted it to, with no damage to property or injury to yourself. You even have enough energy left over to clean up the mess left behind -- all but the tree stump, that is. Getting rid of tree stumps can be the most difficult part of tree removal. Renting stump grinders is an expensive option -- and inconvenient. Let's take a look at a cheap and easy alternative that just requires a little patience....
Comments
My 83 year old friend has had a pine tree cut. A ragged stump is left. She has not the money to hire someone to get rid of the stump. any suggestions as to how to do some landscaping around it so it won’t be an eyesore?
Put a container garden on the stump. Preferably, something with vines trailing down (like vinca).
They charged my mom $100 dollars for a tree stump removal..
They took like 2 hours or so.
But i’ve seen places say it only cost 60 dollars.
Was I overcharged with the 100 dollars.
Prices vary greatly based on where one lives — not only from state to state, but even from town to town. Therefore, only those comparisons conducted on the local level are meaningful.
Someone told me bleach and rock salt poured over the stump would rot it and in about a year would be able to pull it out of the ground. Has anyone tried this or heard of this?
Hi Chris,
Yeah, I’ve heard of rock salt being used in the stump removal process. I’m sure there are other substances out there that you could use, too, including the ones sold commercially for stump removal. It’s mainly a matter of determining what’s available, affordable, and environmentally acceptable to you — and then experimenting!
I lived in Chicago for many years. People in the boonies used charcoal. Yes, first make sure you call the gas company to locate any gas lines or other buried pipes. Secondly start with a small amount of charcoal, such as a small bag that all you do is light the bag so as to not use any type of charcoal lighter fluid. Then if you place the charcoal on the stump and start the bag, with constant supervision and perhaps with a call to the local fire department for safety, Safety, and yes Safety. The charcoal may take a few hours to consume the stump depending if the stump is dead and dry, or still green. Remember, Safety first, fire is very dangerous. If all goes well, get some hotdogs and enjoy, have a picnic!
Depending on your location, the type and size of the stump and heavy equipment access to it, I think $100 for two hours of stump-pulling work is darn cheap. Must have been a pretty nasty stump to take 2 hours. $60 may be appropriate for a smallish stump. Folks around here want $150 just for backhoe delivery… then $95-115 per hour plus disposal fee. I am low man in my area at an average cost of $75 plus disposal fee for pulling a 12-16″ stump. Price varies a lot with number of stumps (more=less per stump) and type.
I have heard that triple 10 fertilizer mixed with a little water, poured into holes drilled into the top of the stump will kill it. Also, non diluted roundup and spectricide brused on the stump will kill it. Don’t forget to dispose of the brush afterwards.
I had my tree cut down all the way with only 6 inches remaining above the ground. I had not started any stump removing attempts like using the “Stump Remover” product, so the tree is still alive. Now, my objective is to re-seed/plant grass over this area.
If I were to grind the stump all the way to below ground level, will it permanently kill the tree? I hate the sapplings that grow around the tree stump now. Appreciate all comments/suggestions/ideas!
Yes, stump-grinding would provide a quick solution for your problem.
Slice into the tree/stump and stick a penny or two inside, it will kill any tree or stump.
Penny,
Thanks for adding your two cents (sorry, I couldn’t resist!).
So check this out. I had 2 olive tree stumps that I had to remove and I discovered a great tool to do it!!! Came to me to day as I was thinking, “man I wish I had a Backhoe”. SO, I was thinking what is the next best thing to use that is nearly as powerful as a vehicle and not as strong as a backhoe…. Hmmm.. I know MY AUTOMOTIVE FLOOR JACK. Since I could not afford a backhoe. I dug under one sideof the stump about 18 inches then jammed the jack under it. I places a board under the jack a 2×6 will do initially. this prevents the jack from digging into the earth. Then I jacked it up! When the jack reached full extension I put blocks under the side of the jack to hold it up. THen I put some block under the 2×6 to get it up higher again. tehn jacked again. In two hours I got a monster 2′ deep by 5′ square stump out of the hole and tipped it over with my truck… This was awesome!!!! FYI this should work with taprooted trees too. BE VERY CAREFUL as this techniquecan be VERY DANGEROUS if you dont understand some basic physics. Hey it works!
Wow, I definitely have to try out that method this summer. I may end up blogging about your discovery! Thanks.
COMMENT 15 VERY DANGEROUS. Your eyesight is more precious than you think. It may be worth it to rent a backhoe.
I am doing an overhaul and a beautification at the V.A.Medical Center grounds north campus, between the Domiciliary Bldgs 214 and 217 Quad Area where the Veterans hangout and relax. My Question is there are 3 Coral tree Stump to be removed, what is the best way to do this?
There is a tree stump removal product called, “Stump Remover” that breaks down the wood fiber of stumps, leaving them porous. That’s the easiest way, short of having a professional come in with a stump grinder.
I have a tree stump to remove. It is close to a house and rooted very deep. I was considering digging as far as I could just so that I could get a chain underneath it. My plan is to then hitch the chain to the back of my van and pull out the root. It sounds easy, but I am wondering if it is a good idea. I am not good with basic physics:) Please advise.
Maureen,
You have the right idea, but you’re also right to be concerned about pulling a tree stump so close to a home. Without being there, I’d never “give the OK” to such a project. It may sound good over the Internet, but a person’s home is too valuable a possession for me to make such a call. I’d have a pro come over and take a look at it, if you want to be on the safe side.
tree stump can vary in size. From couple inches to several feet so different method may be advised for different stump. I’ve removed stumps from pine trees with stump around 6-8 inches by digging around and cutting secondary roots off with shears or an ax. Cut off main roots usually with an ax and us a long 5 foot or so pry bar to loosen the stump. Eventually it comes out, no easy task but works. Right now I’m working on a 14 inch stump but I use a chain saw on the roots which I dig out dirt from underneath so it’s nice and clean so the saw doesn’t hit any dirt or rocks, I use water to clean around it. Power washer will help remove dirt around the roots which is helpful – I don’t have one so I use power tip water nozzle.
Regarding comment 14, tree don’t actually have tap roots, its a myth. they might start off with one, but it dies off pretty quickly.
Cost saving tip!
Tree Stump remover is repackaged Nitrate of Potash, (aka Potassium Nitrate, Salt Petre, Salt Peter). It’s a high nitrate fertiliser that works wonders on your Strawberries and tomatoes (plus a lot of other soft fruit). You can get Pot.Nitrate a *lot* cheaper than branded “Tree Stump Remover”
A word of caution. Pot.Nitrate is an oxidising agent (used as the oxidiser in Gunpowder!) and can increase the risk of fire in dry areas.
thanks for the information on stump removal. I have a young tree that has been killed and now I think I need to get rid of the stump and roots. the cirmcumferance of the tree is small, about 4 inches in diameter. Since it is so small, can I just cut it down to the grass and leave it? If I do, can I plant another tree close to the left over stump?
There are different strokes for different strokes here, but in my own approach to tree stump removal, I use a mattock for stumps this small. It’s more work initially, but perhaps means less trouble in the long run. Using the mattock, I cut through all the big roots; eventually, the stump will be loosened enough to be broken out (or you can make a final cut just underneath it to remove it).
I have roots from a huge maple tree left in my (dirt) driveway. Why do they smell so bad? How can I remove them? The stump grinder guy did the best he could with his machine, but the smell is the big problem. What could I use to nutralize the smell? THanks for any help.
I have new tree sprouts growing from the large tree i had removed in my front yard. There are many partially exposed roots, some extending up to 15 feet away. I am in the process of remving the stump, without the grinding. While the tree stump decays will the new sprouts die off too? What a pain! Thanks for help!
correction – new sprouts from the partially exposed tree roots, not tree stump itself as of yet. I trim down any sprouts, by the way.
Margie,
I’ve heard a lot of issues surrounding tree stump removal, but bad-smelling roots is a new one on me. As far as I know, short of bringing in the heavy equipment to just scoop everything out and haul it away, all you can do to remove the offending maple roots is to dig them out with a mattock. As a temporary “neutralization” of the smell, I suppose you could set up Tikki torches when you’re working and/or relaxing outside.
No, if the sprouts are coming “from the partially exposed tree roots,” then removing the tree stump won’t stop the sprouts. You’ll need to remove those tree roots, too. After doing so, in case you miss a few rootlets, you might want to lay down a tarp (light deprivation will stymie any more sprouting). You can apply mulch over the tarp to hold it down and dress up the area. Eventually, everything underneath will rot — but you need lots of patience!
We had a walnut tree removed a while back and are trying the “holes in the trunk, nitrogen in the holes, etc.” method to break down the trunk. Can you give me an idea of how long this might take? The article we read says this method “speeds up” the natural process, but does not offer any time estimates. Thanks for your help.
HJC,
There are too many variables to consider to provide solid estimates: where you live, the weather you’ll be having, your soil, the girth of the tree stump, etc. But this much is safe to say, as a general rule: with tree stump removal using the nitrogen method, time is counted in years, not months!
I just removed a 3 foot diameter red oak stump myself, in about 2-1/2 hours using simple tools. The stump was within a yard of the house, so I decided not to attempt to remove all the roots, just remove the surface remains. The tree was hollow and the stump rotted out about 1 foot inside, leaving walls about a foot thick. I dug a a shallow trench around the stump, about 8 inches deep and one shovel wide. I then took a one inch auger and bored closely spaced holes all around the circumference of the stump, angled about 20 degrees down. This took the most time, and 2 heavy duty 1/2 drills, alternating them to avoid overheating! After that, I drilled vertical and horizontal holes in one section (selected for weakest wood while I was drilling), almost freeing it. Then I chopped out that section using a sharp mattock and a splitting maul. I worked back from that part using wedges, a large sledge hammer and a 60 inch pry bar. Each chunk broke off at the drill-holes. The last piece I simply cracked off with a hammer blow. I filled in the hole; all woody remains are 8 inches or more below the surface. I used the copious drilling for wood chip mulch, covering about 10 square feet!
i need to remove a dying tree that is near my inground sprinkler system. is there any danger of damaging water lines w/stump grinder? should i use chemical remover instead?
thanks
You’re right to be concerned that tree stump removal via stump grinding could spell damage to your in-ground sprinkler system. So yes, I think the way to go here is to apply an herbicide to the stump (ask at your hardware store), after cutting the tree down.
A chap I worked with during my time at a tree care company showed me a (very rare) tool that was designed specifically for stump removal -known simply as a “stump axe”. It’s a double-bladed axe, with one blade moulded at a 90 degree-angle difference from the standard blade. The use is simple: the user, standing in one position, can rotate the axe on the back swing and strike the target with either blade angle. Gradually, the user works his way around the tree and is able to cut each spreading root regardless of the root’s position/angle to the user. The trick? Try to find this tool. They’re out there but they’re extremely rare. Find it? Please let the rest of us know! Thanks!
That tool is also called a Pulaski axe. It is used by wildland firefighters. It is made by Council Tool, Ames Tru-Temper, Collins and a few other heavy hand tool companies. Forestry Supply should sell at least one brand; costs is about $50. I have seen import versions at some, but not all Home Depot stores, and the real deal at hardware stores in areas where logging is an active industry.
Thanks for all the previous comments. I just hired a contractor from ServiceMagic.com. He came within hours and finished the job on the same day. Cost me $125 for the stump removal and another $25 to chop off some other pieces of log into smaller blocks. But, I am happy the job got done very fast. Now I am using the tons of mulch, this stump grinding created in my garden.
Hi, I grind stumps. For those of you that wondered, the average price for my service is $2.25 per inch of grind IF it is accessable by truck. If it is only accessable by use of a 36″ gate and I have to use my small machine, meaning a lot more time on site and hours on equipment, then the price goes up accordingly. That is usually around $3.45 per inch. A large machine should grind 6-10″ deep and small self propelled ones 4-6″ deep should be average. Something else that you should understand is that measuremnets should start from where the stump comes out of the ground (after all you want that part ground out too, right?)across to where it goes back into the ground. Commonly known as the diameter of the stump. I hope this helps to educate alot of people sothey understand how most stump prices are figured.
Here is the best and the cheapest way.
First dig about 6 inches down around the stump.
Take a circular saw and cut a grid about 1 1/2 inches apart.
Take a hammer and chisel and remove the cubes.
Continue till you are at about 2 inches below the ground level.
If you want further removel drill 1/2 inch holes about 3 inches apart.
If you can get any kind of alkaline (read the ingredients it must say hydroxide) drain opener pour on liberally make sure it goes in to the holes. If you cant get it use the cheapest oven cleaner from the dollar store.
Cover the remains with dirt.
2 to 4 weeks later put about 5 lbs of 10-10-10 fertilizer on the remains and cover back up with dirt.
Well I tryed one of the solutions someone sayed about using a floor jack and it really works.It at least gives you the chance to get up under it to cut the roots to free the tree stump from the ground.But you have to dig a little but it was worth the trouble.And yes I did that job today 10/5/2008.
Metal trash can or 55 gallon drum. Cut out bottom, set over stump, Start a fire inside with whatever and enjoy a campfire for the night/day.
really joe (42)… are you ’stumping’ ?
I don’t know why burning the silly thing can’t work. It seems I’ve seen stumps doing a slow burn, what do they use in there (I was thinking it was tar or something similar)
Glo, burning the stump does work, but if it is green, it can be a pain to get the fire started. Try drilling a 1″ to 1.5″ hole in the middle of the stump maybe 5″ deep and put a lit road flare in the hole with the burning end facing up. It will take a few minutes for the burning section to get to the stump surface, but once it does it won’t take long to start burning. To make the stump burn faster, once the road flare is in the hole, start building smaller sticks around the stump like a tee-pee to start a campfire, then put the barrel over the fire to keep it from spreading too much. Safety first and keep a water hose on hand!
hi
I’ve got 3 trees i wish to get rid of- 2 apple trees and one ’shrubbery’ type tree. Firstly, what would be the best way to remove them?
How long would it take to kill a tree with a copper nail/ penny, and hope the council remove them?
And how about the stumps? And roots?
David,
“Best” is one of those tricky words: my “best” way might not be yours, because your situation may be different. The cheapest way to do it (”cheapest” is one interpretation of “best”) is to do it yourself.
I can’t comment on the “copper nail” approach, but removing a tree yourself usually starts either with poisoning it (which you may reject as an option, if you’re environmentally sensitive) or cutting it down with a chainsaw. I’ll warn you, though: apple trees have notoriously tough wood, so chainsawing may be difficult.
As for removing tree stumps and roots afterwards, that’s precisely what the article is about that this blog post links to! Just click the link!
Of course, if money isn’t an issue, the “best” way could be simply to hire a tree service. While my article on the topic focuses on limbing, you can find professionals who will remove a tree for you, in toto.
IF YOU HAVE TIME, DO NOT LIKE A LOT OF PHYSICAL LABOR, DO NOT WANT TO SPEND OVER $100 AND LIKE CAMP FIRES… FIRST KILL THE TREE FOR A FEW MONTHS (THIS WILL KILL THE ROOTS TOO, NO SAPPLINGS). POTASSIUM NITRATE IS AVAILABLE ON EBAY AND IS THE PRIMARY SUBSTANCE IN “STUMP REMOVER” (KNO3). KILL THE TREE AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. WHEN ROTTING STARTS.. THOROUGHLY MIX 65% KNO3 AND 35% POWDERED SUGAR AND PACK ONE WITH THIS MIXTURE (NOTE, THIS IS MODEL ROCKET PROPELLANT, RCANDY). PILE SOME FAIRLY LARGE DRY BRANCHES OVER AND AROUND THIS HOLE AND LIGHT THE HOLE WITH A FIREPLACE LIGHTER, FIREPLACE MATCH, FUSE OR LONG LIT STICK. REMEMBER THIS IS ROCKET FUEL HOWEVER, THIS IS A SLOWER BURN MIXTURE MORE OF A SMOKE BOMB MIXTURE! IT WILL BURN HOT AND FAIRLY LONG. KEEP ADDING DRY BRANCHES AND ENJOY THE CAMPFIRE UNTIL THE STUMP IS BURNED A FEW INCHES BELOW GROUND. BACKFILL WITH DIRT. THE NITROGEN RICH DECAYING ROOTS WILL MAKE GOOD FEED FOR ANY NEW PLANTS PLANTED ON OR NEAR THEOLD STUMP.
CORRECTION – - PACK ONE HOLE WITH KNO3 AND SUGAR MIXTURE.
started to remove a salt cedar with a litte digging and hooked up the ol’ jeep to what I thought was good rigging.bent my bumper{didn’t have d-rings or a good spot on the jeep to rig to }read about someone using a jack,used a screw type jack,digging bar,cribbing,shovel,and a very strong sawzall.GOT’ER OUT N 2HOURS ,MOVED THE SCEW JACK IN ABOUT 4 TIMES PUTTING THE CRIBING BETWEEN THE SPACES OPENED TILL I GOT IN THE FINAL CUT
I have several live Salt Cedar stumps. Stump killer was used to No Effect. And the re-sprouts and stumps have been sprayed repeatedly with Roundup to no effect – as the cut was healed over.
I was told to re-cut the stumps and immediately apply Round-up to the fresh cut. This is not possible on some as they are too close to the ground.
Salt Cedars are notoriously difficult to kill. Does anyone have any specific advice on them?
One huge one can be dug out, if that is effective. The other could be ground and painted with Roundup, but the application would not be entirely immediate… several minutes later at least. I could also try covering them with plastic as suggested.
They are like cockroaches. Do any of you have some knowledgable advice?
30% of a tree is a material called lignin. Sodium Metabisulfate destroys lignin.
Purchased a house with two tree stumps exposed, one about 5 inches, another about 8 inches, both sprouting and have been for a period of time. Trim the shoots.
I went out about 6-8 inches from the stumps, dug a moat with my grub hoe, axe on one side, blade on the other for digging. Filled it with water and let disappear. Took my post hold diggers and started going around the moat, roots, I used the axe part. When I had gone down about a foot, I brought my GMC Sonoma pickup around and hooked a nylon rope (inch) around the stump with a good grip and pulled the rope tight as I could attached to the pickup. Then I went back to the stump and proceed to go down the sides with the post hole digger and grub axe on the side opposite the P/U. When the rope loosen, I move the pickup a little more. As the stump came up it was easy to cut the feeder roots and soon I had both stumps out on the lawn. Make sure rope is secure, keep your wife in the house.
Actually, you could fetch a real monster wood drill and drill a deep hole or two in the middle. Then fill these holes with gunpowder or dynamite and give it a try.
Or, you could place the dynamite underneath. This would automatically take care of the disposal too, since if you use enough explosive, you’ll probably never come across this stump any more.
i’ve been doing stump removal for 12 years alot of things you are talking about are funny. the best way is to call someone that knows what they are doing . we have the machines to do the job right . but get estimates from more than 1 person. I have jobs that only cost 15.00 if they’re in the area . prices go up from there. As far as i’m concerned there is no set price THANKS
Regarding comment 22, ”tree don’t actually have tap roots, its a myth. they might start off with one, but it dies off pretty quickly” I just got done digging up a post oak stump that was 14′and it has a 3 foot root that grows strait down……hmmm…..TAP ROOT
So. Simple question… Why would you PULL a stump out when you can GRIND er out!?
Takes about 5 mins (depending on the size of stump) and makes for a way better show than fighting with a big dirty tap root… AND THE GRINDERS COME WITH REMOTE CONTROL BABY!!
Cost.
Before you decide to burn a stump out contact your fire dept. In a lot of places it is illegal to burn out stumps because they can burn for days. Most laws reguire that fires be attended all the time they are burning. Meaning you might be standing there watching it a long time. Lye – (drain cleaner) or potassium nitrate (stump out/etc) poured over the stump are much safer
I have a small stump about 6″ across. A bradford pear. I cut it very low almost at the ground level. But one problem I face is it is close to my fence, which is plastic so I can’t burn it. I have been using rock salt but not working to fast. I would like to get this out so I could replant another one. Any one have any ideas to remove this. HELP Thanks
Does the stump remover that treats the stump with chemicals work? The one like Four Seasons Nursery sells for $4.99 each?
If you have the time and do not want to spend money to remove a tree/stump, first make sure you have the clearance. Then simply start digging around the base of the tree and chop at the roots. Use the weight of the tree to pull the stump from the ground.Patients and frequent trips to the lazy-boy are all it takes.
Response to Comment 19: Be very carefull close to the house. Pulling out a stump with a truck & chain is very easy. I know, we pulled out 4 that way. On the fourth stump a root was caught on a water pipe and broke it. We lost water to the house until the pipe was fixed. Luckily, it was above ground and easy to fix.
I have a hard wood double stump that was pulled out of the ground two years ago and is quite large – 5′ square. I have cut off the roots with a chain saw which of course dulled the blades quickly. Apparently grinders wont work beacause it is sitting on the ground and would move with the vibration. I have estimates of 300 to remove it
. I would rather not wait a year or two for stump removal products to rot it. Someone has suggested a reciprocating saw with wood blades to try and cut it up. Any suggestions?
If you’re dealing with pine, digging down 1 foot on all sides to remove surface roots, and fastening with a chain to a trailer hitch may do the trick. If you can’t move the stump at all, don’t even bother, since you’re likely to damage your vehicle or your driveway.
Waiting a year before you do this and pouring rock salt around the stump will weaken the roots.
I just moved into a new home. There is a lilac tree with another vine type tree that was left to grow in the middle of it. The lilac tree is not blooming very well and some of it looks to be dyeing. What would be the most effective and environmentally friendly way to get rid of the vine tree and save the lilac tree?
I have an Acacia tree, and want to kill them, they are sprouting all over the place, i cut them down and sprayed them with roundup and ortho, nothing seems to kill these lil guys..any ideas?…
The rock salt ideas concern me as it would seem if you used too much nothing would ever grow there for many years. The high-nitrogen treatments and oven cleaner (active ingredient is lye) also concern me, though not as much. I had three elm stumps in the backyard I removed by digging around them with the bucket on my tractor. It took about 3 hrs. each. The stumps were between 18 and 24 inches across. The resulting holes were easily ten feet in diameter and three feet deep. Paying a stump-grinder $100 a stump would have been a fair enough deal. I have one stump left. I let it rot for two years–to little effect. Then, I cut a grid pattern in the top of the stump with the chainsaw, poured in last year’s boat gas (which I had to get rid of anyway) and lit ‘er off using a VERY long flaming stick. It burned for about two hours. With a partially-rotten stump, it is retaining water, which makes it difficult to burn. I have repeated this procedure three times now. I have also tried the charcoal. Although I am winning, it’s a long, slow battle. I have also pulled stumps with my tractor and pickup. Basically, you better be very good at prayer, ‘cuz if that chain breaks, no good can come of it. If your are dealing with something 6-8 inches or smaller, a mattock, a shovel, a floor jack, a strong back, and an afternoon will be fine. If it’s a foot across, keep in mind that most stump grinders charge an honest wage for honest work and you could easily be money ahead paying them rather than paying for broken equipment or medical bills. Or, if you want stump removal as an amusing hobby for a couple of years, do it yourself.
I have a huge mimosa stump which grew up underneath a fence and now is on both sides of and grown into the fence and the shoots come back every year growing really fast. I have to keep the yard mowed frequently because mimosa shoots pop up all over the yard like dandelions. Will concentrated Roundup do the trick of eradicating this aggravating stump?
My guess would be that concentrated Roundup would work (more than one application would be needed). Another herbicide choice would be Ortho’s product geared to woody plants.
I just bought a house that has a shop/garage in back.There is a room with windows and sliding glass doors,cement floor around a huge rotten tree trunk.Prob 1.5 ft tall,about 2 ft across.It has fungus and snail trails all over it.Any ideas to get rid of it?Can a stump grinder be used indoors?
Admittedly only on a rumor that it was long-term effective, I have drilled several 3/4″ holes in the many stumps we have on our property, and pored “Rid-X” in them. This is the bacteria mix for septic tanks. We are patient, and do not expect these stumps to decay for a year or two. Has anyone tried this with success? Although it may be effective, I am somewhet leery of potassium nitrate, as we are in a heavily wooded area, and when dry, impregnated wood might constitute a fire hazard. Anyone have experience or definite knowledge about the “Rid-X” approach?
I have used both stump remover and the “copper trick” They both work , but take patience . As stump remover is not available in Canada anymore , I tried the copper trick by cutting several pieces of 1/2 inch copper pipe about 6″ long , and pounding them into the top of the stump . It took about 2 years to rot a 36 inch diameter stump .
I am now in the process of removing 4 more , and was going to try potassium permaginate . Any thoughts on that?
try stump remover you put the powder on the stump pour some kerosene and light it its safe and burns it down to the roots!
i had two stumps I was going to pay to have removed then when I looked at them closer I realized I could make a bench out of them, do a little landscaping around them and presto it looks a thousand times better for about 50 bucks.
I have a small maple ~2″ diameter that I’ve cut down to the ground. What’s the best and/or cheapest way to ensure the roots are killed?
Hi Lonnie,
Let me field your stump removal question in two ways, since I’m not sure whether you mean the maple is 2 inches or 2 feet in diameter.
If it’s really just 2 inches, I would dig under and around it, sifting the dirt as you go through a screen to catch all the roots — and remove them.
But if you mean 2 feet, the best way is not the cheapest way. The best way would be to have someone come in with a backhoe and dig out all the roots.
I have two small kind of bushes but the roots and stump is more like a tree that is left. I guess do I just dig and dig and cut through it the best I can? It’s really two smaller type stumps. What can you suggest without killing the lillies and my new magnolia tree near them? Thanks
Do you know any Firms in the Bradford / Leeds Area that remove Tree Stumps? Thanking you.
Jamie,
If you check out the article on stump removal linked to from this blog post, you’ll see a picture of a tool called a “mattock.” You’ll want to buy a mattock if you wish to remove a tree stump by digging. One of the advantages of digging (as opposed to using chemicals) is that it’s safer for surrounding plants — as long as you’re careful digging.
I had a 50yr old Honey Locust Tree removed (cut/stump & roots grinded)in Aug 07. I know have root suckers everywhere and it is killing my lawn. The landscape co said that they have to strip lawn and grind roots again. Should they be doing something else to prevent re-growth so I do not have to do this again. Thanks
N,
While they’re stripping the lawn, it wouldn’t hurt to ask them to make sure they dig down far enough to get the roots those suckers are emerging from. For you to have such widespread suckers, it’s obvious the locust tree’s root system is pretty extensive (and, of course, tree stump removal does not, per se, address such roots).
Anyone have any idea how much it would cost to have about 20 – 30 tree stumps pushed up in Alabama? Want to make sure we are getting a good deal.
I had a tree removed from my yard 2 years ago. About 1 month ago, my water line broke. Per the plumber, the cause was the roots. I sent a claim to the city and they advised that the roots should of been dead by now. Roots should die within a year or so. Is this true…
I have been grinding stumps for more than 10 years. In my area the going rate is $1.50″. I see were some are saying the price they have for a 24″ is a $100. For a $100 I cam grind 3 stumps that size and be gone in less than 2 hrs. Sure wish I lived in an area the would pay $4.00″
if i stick pennies in the stump will it effect the tall standing timber next to it
I have a siberian elm stump, it actually had three leads and is more like three stumps. The roots are quite extensive under the lawn. My question is . . . how do I kill the roots and when they are dead, will they rott and deteriorate. I am planning on building a fence in front of the stump, but am concerned that the ground will shift or drop and leave a gap under the fence in years to come.
In a square foot soil, the ex-owner planted a WISTERIA 30 years ago. I trimmed it down to a stump but it still shoots up. I was adviced to use rock salt (but the store doesn’t carry it ). I got a stump remover instead. Any cheap, safe, and easy way to get rid of it before the raining season starts? Would the stump remover work before winter?
Help! we just had a 12 yr. old oak tree taken down from our front yard-however, they were unable to grind the stump because a piece of rebar had been stuck in the ground to keep the tree straight. Well, the trunk grew around the rebar! It is cut to about ground level, but there is still a stump & large roots–what next? We are in a subdivision & the HOA is not going to wait months for us to fill this hole!
These are all great tips. Any ideas for removing the small twisted stumps and roots of a cut down ficus hedge?
I live in a townhouse complex and have a very large tree in my patio area that must be cut down. I cannot get a stump grinder to it and want to get rid of the stump. Afraid to use fire. What is the quickest and easiest way to clear the stumps and roots?
My recently widowed sister lives on 60 acres of pines and hardwood. Her neighbor has a firewood business that is just starting to take off. He says he can’t keep up with request. He suggested he ‘clean up’ her property a bit by removing ‘just the dead’ trees. He proposed giving her one tree for every three he clears. By giving it to her, he means leaving the downed tree stacked near her house, not cut, not split. This doesn’t seem like a good deal? I figure 50/50 is fair. What say you?
Mad,
Unless your sister burns wood and can wield a chainsaw and split wood (or knows someone who will do it for her for free/barter), it does not sound like a good deal.
I plan to have a magnolia tree removed and the stump ground. Will grinding the stump kill the root system? Or, will I need to apply some sort of herbicide after the grinding is done? It’s important that the roots be killed because they are destroying the plumbing in our yard.