Stump removal

[DoomsDave]

Howdy:

I've got the editing bug, and with it, comes a lot of stumps. Some are quite large; these include the big Caryota urens of Doom from last year.

And, there will be more editing and more stumps.

Small ones aren't too bad; just hack and cut, and you can often dig them out.

Larger ones are hard to dig out, and can take forever to decay. Google searches reveal "Bill and Joe's Stump Removal" and various concoctions to burn them. YIKE! We've had a series of wildfires and I'm going to burn stumps. The neighbors will love it. Nope. I have time enough, for now, to use decay enhancing methods if they work. Stump grinders can be so arduous after a long hard day at the Dark Tower.

So, maybe some of you here have some thoughts, ideas, etc.?

Thanks in advance!

[kinzyjr]

I used some kind of enhanced decay some years back on a pine stump that was in the entry way bed in front of the house.  I poured a little packet of microbes on it and it gradually decayed away to where I could pull the pieces apart by hand and they were lighter than cardboard.  Checked the big box stores, but wasn't able to identify which one it was.

[DoomsDave]

1 minute ago, kinzyjr said:

I used some kind of enhanced decay some years back on a pine stump that was in the entry way bed in front of the house.  I poured a little packet of microbes on it and it gradually decayed away to where I could pull the pieces apart by hand and they were lighter than cardboard.  Checked the big box stores, but wasn't able to identify which one it was.

Most of what I've seen by those advise burning.

Oh, might be fun to watch a stampede down the street . . . .

Relieve the boredom a bit.

[kinzyjr]

7 minutes ago, DoomsDave said:

Most of what I've seen by those advise burning.

Oh, might be fun to watch a stampede down the street . . . .

Relieve the boredom a bit.

At least the headline for this story won't start with "Florida Man"

[DoomsDave]

Thanks @kinzyjr gonna sneak a peek at HD and Lowes and see what they have.

I have a really huge, really hard, Brazilian Pepper Tree stump. Like stone. Me and this other guy had us a nice, flogging and chipping tantrum on it. Stump just laughed, as we managed only to nip off a few little chips.

[Funkthulhu]

Can you put some deep bores into the stump with a long-bit hand drill, then pack the hole full of mushroom plugs?  

Might not decay super fast, but if the 'shrooms like it you could get some oysters out of the deal.

Edited April 27, 2020 by Funkthulhu

[Palm Tree Jim]

DD,

In the past it has been good old manual labor for this. 

If you can rent a stump grinder, go that route to start.

[DoomsDave]

18 minutes ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

DD,

In the past it has been good old manual labor for this. 

If you can rent a stump grinder, go that route to start.

I have like 30 stumps.

And more to come.

But all options will be considered.

[DoomsDave]

Hmm.

@Palm Tree Jim, is there a hand-held type of grinder? The ones I've seen are roll-on-the-ground types that will be near impossible to get to some of the stumps.

Kindly advise, King of the Editors!

[DoomsDave]

Anyone ever try this?

[Allen]

The stump remover will take a long time.  2 Years?.  You can grind them or dig around each one and chainsaw off roots and pry up or pull out with truck/chain depending on size.  30 of them, whew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DoomsDave]

16 minutes ago, Allen said:

The stump remover will take a long time.  2 Years?.  You can grind them or dig around each one and chainsaw off roots and pry up or pull out with truck/chain depending on size.  30 of them, whew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Most palms have really spongy wood, and many of my stumps are well along in the seasoning process. Might try some of that Stump Out on some of them and see.

[joe_OC]

I say build a temporary chimney (a la rocket stove) around a trunk and try burning it out to see how effective that works.   Just stack cinder blocks around it and have it go a couple of feet above the trunk.

Here is my quick google search:  

How to Build a Rocket Stove

Of course you will need to modify the size to fit the different sized stumps.

 

J

Edited April 27, 2020 by joe_OC

[Allen]

13 minutes ago, DoomsDave said:

Most palms have really spongy wood, and many of my stumps are well along in the seasoning process. Might try some of that Stump Out on some of them and see.

I had some hardwood stumps I tried that stump remover on and you have to drill 1/2 or larger holes every couple inches down into the stump and that alone is a ton of work on the hardwoods as they are so tough you can't drill them.  Maybe your palms are easier.  A Sawsall is good for cutting down into the dirt if you are talking smaller ones.

[mwardlow]

This method looks pretty good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib0FEubgpNM

[Silas_Sancona]

32 minutes ago, joe_OC said:

I say build a temporary chimney (a la rocket stove) around a trunk and try burning it out to see how effective that works.   Just stack cinder blocks around it and have it go a couple of feet above the trunk.

Here is my quick google search:  

How to Build a Rocket Stove

Of course you will need to modify the size to fit the different sized stumps.

 

J

Was just thinking about something like this as an option.. Would certainly reduce the potential "danger" factor.  What you use to get the stump going/ how well it is prepared beforehand might also play a part in lessening any chance embers or popping coals could cause problems.. When i burnt what was left of a weedy Leucanea, i had no issues and very little smoke.. using only Charcoal fluid poured into pre drilled holes ( lots of them lol.. ) and some additional Briquettes stacked around the stump..Took a couple times to get it down but.. a neighbor did something similar w/ a couple Mulberry stumps in their front yard last fall. Not sure what they used as an Accelerant but it smoked like crazy. No idea who called, but the Fire dept ended up showing up to put it out.  Have some Citrus stumps i cut to the ground i'll probably prep over the summer for removing this fall.

Don't see why Palm stumps would be harder to burn, if you decided to go that route. Wouldn't burn the Braz. Pepper though, produces very toxic smoke. Might plan it out so that you can advise your closest neighbors ahead of time..

The other, non- rent- a- grinder option of course is using  any # of products to break down the wood.. Same idea in prepping.. drill holes, add product, soak.. yada yada..  Could cover it with a tarp to keep things moist around it, speed up the decaying process..

[joe_OC]

If the Brazilian pepper tree stump doesn't have to go right away, I heard drilling lots of holes (4-5" deep) and using emspom salt to pack it in the holes  will draw out the moisture and break the stump down faster.  Definitely not a fast process.

Edited April 27, 2020 by joe_OC

[DoomsDave]

2 hours ago, Allen said:

I had some hardwood stumps I tried that stump remover on and you have to drill 1/2 or larger holes every couple inches down into the stump and that alone is a ton of work on the hardwoods as they are so tough you can't drill them.  Maybe your palms are easier.  A Sawsall is good for cutting down into the dirt if you are talking smaller ones.

I also have a massive Brazilian pepper tree, and I think in terms of wood hardness it'll give walnut or oak a run for their money. Maybe turn it into a Dungeons and Dragons thingy. . . .

Most palms are even softer than pine.

[DoomsDave]

2 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Was just thinking about something like this as an option.. Would certainly reduce the potential "danger" factor.  What you use to get the stump going/ how well it is prepared beforehand might also play a part in lessening any chance embers or popping coals could cause problems.. When i burnt what was left of a weedy Leucanea, i had no issues and very little smoke.. using only Charcoal fluid poured into pre drilled holes ( lots of them lol.. ) and some additional Briquettes stacked around the stump..Took a couple times to get it down but.. a neighbor did something similar w/ a couple Mulberry stumps in their front yard last fall. Not sure what they used as an Accelerant but it smoked like crazy. No idea who called, but the Fire dept ended up showing up to put it out.  Have some Citrus stumps i cut to the ground i'll probably prep over the summer for removing this fall.

Don't see why Palm stumps would be harder to burn, if you decided to go that route. Wouldn't burn the Braz. Pepper though, produces very toxic smoke. Might plan it out so that you can advise your closest neighbors ahead of time..

The other, non- rent- a- grinder option of course is using  any # of products to break down the wood.. Same idea in prepping.. drill holes, add product, soak.. yada yada..  Could cover it with a tarp to keep things moist around it, speed up the decaying process..

Nope, no burning.

I do that, and the firemen'll come clanging over, haul me and my roommate off, toss us into the dungeon at the firehouse, and yell "movie" at us . . . .

All jokes aside, we are really paranoid about fires over here, which, thinking about it, makes some sense.

In a place that was wetter, like Louisiana, I'd try that.

[DoomsDave]

2 hours ago, joe_OC said:

If the Brazilian pepper tree stump doesn't have to go right away, I heard drilling lots of holes (4-5" deep) and using emspom salt to pack it in the holes  will draw out the moisture and break the stump down faster.  Definitely not a fast process.

I've heard that, though probably faster than hacking away at it which I've given up on.

[awkonradi]

I agree with others that you should be able to burn it out safely.  Would the smoke from a barbecue cause a problem with your neighbors?  Just a slow, gentle fire.  Surround it with bricks, cinder blocks, or a steel cylinder made by cutting the bottom out of a big can or a small barrel.  Create air holes near the base of the enclosure.  Load it with charcoal on top of the stump to start.

I do realize this is CA, and just the smoke from a barbecue could be a problem.

[Silas_Sancona]

14 minutes ago, awkonradi said:

I agree with others that you should be able to burn it out safely.  Would the smoke from a barbecue cause a problem with your neighbors?

I do realize this is CA, and just the smoke from a barbecue could be a problem.

Lol.. If smoke from a BBQ bugs any future neighbors i have there, they will not be happy w/ me..  I  'Que as much as possible, especially during the summer.. Forget the briquets, or electric, nothing but Mesquite or Hickory under my grill.. 

[joe_OC]

36 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Lol.. If smoke from a BBQ bugs any future neighbors i have there, they will not be happy w/ me..  I  'Que as much as possible, especially during the summer.. Forget the briquets, or electric, nothing but Mesquite or Hickory under my grill.. 

Yup, my Kamado grill is used every weekend.  Lots of smoke coming from my backyard. 

If Dave follows the Rocket Stove design, it burns really efficiently and there should be minimal smoke.  

[DoomsDave]

Here’s a gallery of stumps 

The ones below are all Archontophoenix and they’re fairly decayed already 

[TomJ]

I heard once you put a bag of match light charcoal on it.  The heat will burn for a long time and cook down through the roots.

You could enjoy some quarantine S'mores and burgers.

If it works let me know.  LOL

[LJG]

Just go rent a stump grinder. That’s what I use. 

[DoomsDave]

I just got some stump chemical for the old stumps. Most of them have been in the weather for years, and i have a feeling that the chemical will make short work of them.

New stumps are coming, though and I'll give the idea of a grinder some thought, too.

[DoomsDave]

Anyone remember Tree Stump Head?

Sorry, devil done' git' into me.

[TomJ]

3 hours ago, LJG said:

Just go rent a stump grinder. That’s what I use. 

Not as much fun as the quarantine BBQ.....

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Cover small stumps in active compost and a little mulch.  Let simmer.

 

On taller ones or stumps you are going to make, why not carve tikis?  My avatar can be your first model.

[_Rich]

8 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

Anyone remember Tree Stump Head?

Sorry, devil done' git' into me.

DD!  I recall ol' Tree Stump Head - just never learned and begged to get banned.  Here's to the good old days...

~ Rich

[DoomsDave]

16 hours ago, Jerry@TreeZoo said:

Cover small stumps in active compost and a little mulch.  Let simmer.

 

On taller ones or stumps you are going to make, why not carve tikis?  My avatar can be your first model.

Well, too late for the Already Stumped.

But, might be worth considering for later ones. Only trouble is, my tikis look like they were F projects from schools for the impaired.

[DoomsDave]

18 hours ago, TomJ said:

Not as much fun as the quarantine BBQ.....

The wood from these stumps is rotten, mostly, and I suspect will give a rotten wood taste to the meat.

But, not to worry. I have plenty of other firewood.

[LeeDonna]

Stumps on the site - a real "headache" for its owners. They must be uprooted because they will spoil the landscape design and become a breeding ground for infection on the site. Moreover: over time, they can sprout and make it even more challenging to remove them. In addition, do not forget that the removal of stumps allows you to free up valuable space that can be used for various purposes. True, it is not uncommon for those cases when the landscaping project provides for the presence of such an element as a stump. In this case, however, a number of those works are carried out http://www.dougstreeserviceantioch.com/, which allows excluding any possibility of its infestation, as well as giving it the appropriate appearance.

Edited July 15, 2021 by LeeDonna