Remove the roots first, and then move along to the tree stump. When you hire it, be sure to get it first thing in the morning, to give yourself a whole day’s use. Hire a professional to come grind it out with a large machine. The easiest way to encourage your stump to rot naturally is to place a large heap of compost over it. This is by far the least desirable – but the cheapest – way to remove a stump. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. One of the most common ways to get rid of a stubborn tree stump is to rent a grinder. Plus, with all these easy ways to remove a tree stump, why would you want to leave it in the ground? Often, this method will still require you to dig around the tree stump and to cut a few roots, but it’s a lot easier than digging out the stump by hand, either with a shovel or a pry bar. Before you do anything at all, take a close look at the tree stump. These can be hired by gardeners with the knowledge to use them safely. Most people think that the prices for this service are outrageous, but if you put some time into doing a little research and look into the companies in your area that specifically offer stump grinding, you should be able to find someone who has a lot of experience, does good business, who won't charge you an arm and a leg to grind one very large stump. To do this, use your chainsaw to cut a hashtag pattern into the top of the stump. This is the best way to get rid of a stump – it will remove most of the root system, it shouldn’t grow back and you’re left with an area which you can replant straight away,' says Scott. It is not intended to prescribe, diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Bring on the Kerosene. Bad news for the car, house, or anything else close by. How do I use copper nails to get rid of a tree stump? If you still can’t get the trunk to move, wrap some chain around it, and then connect the chain to a pick-up truck or tractor (ideally, something with four-wheel-drive). If you have some time on your hands, you can let the stump rot naturally. OK, so you don’t actually have to leave town. The stump will become spongy. Could I drill holes into and around the base of the tree, pour in the chemical, and wait for the roots and lower trunk to soften, then remove the tree, the softened stump material and roots? Having a tree stump removed can cost quite a sum of money, in terms of labor and equipment. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you have rock salt hanging around from last winter, you can try applying it to dry out your tree stump. If you have room, you could also try a stump grinder. Follow these steps to remove a stump manually: Use a chainsaw or limbing saw to remove any lower branches from the trunk. To use a stump grinder, you’ll start by using a shovel to remove rocks near the stump. Cut the grass around the stump using a brushcutter or strimmer. Give the hire place a call for an exact quote. Then, use the hydraulic level on the grinder to raise the wheel a few inches above these trips. Remove any dried leaves. Get rid of it immediately and you won’t have to worry about it causing problems for you now – or later. How would I use copper nails to get rid of a tree stump? For larger stumps, use the chemical method instead. The pros will employ the use of heavy-duty equipment like stump grinders and power saws. It’s not going to be fun, but you can do it. Remove the top portion of the trunk, but leave enough to use as leverage. When you’re done, use a shovel or pry bar to lift the stump out of the ground. Use a shovel to dig next to the stump, exposing the roots underneath the surrounding dirt. This can lead to people tripping, particularly for children who love to run around. Pour 3 to 4 ounces of tree stump removal chemicals into each of the holes in granule form, then fill the holes with water so the chemicals can soak in. Potassium nitrate is an effective compound for removing a tree stump around your house. Try cutting as many roots as possible before trying to rock the tree and loosen the stump from the ground. For many people getting rid of an unwanted or dead tree is the easy part, it’s the leftover stump that causes the problems. Some people also find that using a landscaping bar or pry bar helps pry up stubborn roots, lifting them up and out of the soil. Cover the tree stump with dry vegetation such as pine needles, pine cones or kindling and set it alight. Pine stumps tend to have wider roots, but they are also more shallow and flat. Drink plenty of water if you are working in hot weather. Dig around the roots. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Then, pour potassium nitrate into the holes. Kris Jensen is the Principal of Regenerative Communities Collective, a design consultancy focusing on regenerative design. Ground the stump until you are at least five inches beneath ground level. Keep cutting and pushing until you can uproot the entire trunk. Now that the stump remover has been … Every time you want to have a bonfire, go out and start a fire on the stump. You can also remove a tree stump using items you might have around the house. You can use a small amount of water to create a trench surrounding the stump, which helps expose the roots. How do I remove the little starter trees my plum trees created, along with the stumps? Buy It Go on Vacation. ", "This was the easiest way to remove the stump for me.". Ideally the stump should be removed entirely, but if this is not possible alternative methods usually give satisfactory results. There are a few general tips that you should follow regardless of which method you choose to follow to remove your stump. What is the best way to remove the stump? The vinegar will begin to kill off any leafy areas that surround the stump. You may need to wait as long as six weeks. There is also some evidence that you can rot a stump with bleach, muriatic acid, or high-nitrogen fertilizer. There are some downsides to using a stump grinder. You can soften a tree’s stump and let it rot by using some chemicals. Drill a hole into the top of each, then bolt them to the top of the jack so it forms a tripod. Once you’ve added the water and potassium nitrate, wait at least four weeks. Muriatic acid is very caustic, and can be damaging to your eyes, skin, and other organs. They have the potential to kill beneficial fungi, which can not only harm your soil health, but also slow down the process of decomposition to begin with. This will serve your accelerator. This will help to make the wood porous. To add such a substance, you’ll need drill lots of holes across the stump’s surface, then add the rotting agent. Here’s a YouTube video that will show you how to remove a tree stump using a complex pulley system. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 946,231 times. Choose the method that works best for the root system you're dealing with. There are several reasons why you need to have that palm tree stump removed in your backyard. You can then use an ax to easily break up the spongy stump. Start by using your saw to remove any lower branches from the trunk. See if you can push the trunk out of place with your shovel or digging bar. Don’t attempt to dig out a stump if you’re dealing with a massive one. Its use will result in the fastest rotting process of the stump. To do this method, start by cutting your boards to six feet. How to Remove a Tree Stump from the Ground in 12 Steps Use a pointed shovel to dig out the soil around the tree stump. Remove any items that could catch on fire from the area surrounding the tree stump. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. By using our site, you agree to our. You can rent a compact stump grinder at home improvement centers and tool lease outlets. And if you’re dealing with trees that come down of their own volition, you’re going to have to get a little more creative. Sometimes, there are discounts available for whole-weekend or full-week rentals, so if you have a ton of stumps to get rid of, it can be worth your money. Make them as deep as you can, then fill each one with cooking oil. You may spend a bit more money, but you won’t be stuck digging out stumps for the next ten years of your life, either. Major roots do not have to be removed once you get rid of the main portion of the stump. Start by cutting off as much of the stump as you can. Let the stump sit another week, then ignite it, and let it burn. 16) Remove a Tree Stump with Charcoal and Cooking Oil. Furthermore, a stump can cause you to trip and injure yourself. How much does it cost to rent a stump grinder? However, if you’re skilled with a chainsaw and know what to look for, you can give this method a try. Add some charcoal or additional wood and light it up. In this case, 84% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. That sounds like a contradiction, but has to do with some softening of the wood that occurs over time. For those of you who fall into that category; this is the Quick Version of how to remove a tree stump with a chainsaw. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Stump Out is a stump remover chemical that can help you rot a tree stump over time. Why do you need or want to remove the stump? Fill each hole with stump remover/saltpeter, and top each hole off with boiling water to dissolve the saltpeter. If this process doesn't work, fell the trunk close to the base above the stump, and burn the stump. My only regret is that I read it after removing an old, "A confirmation that I can successfully clear my farm thicket using Glyphosate, having first heard it from my, "The instructions are clearly written and easy to follow with diagrams to assist understanding. This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook helps a homeowner dig out a stubborn tree stump. If you’ve recently had a tree fall or get cut down, the remaining tree stumps can be an eye sore for your landscaping. A useful tool for manual removal is a mattock, which has a broad end for digging and a sharpened end for slicing. Previously, he was the Executive Director of the San Bruno Mountain Watch in California. Keeping the stump moist, not wet, and adding some nitrogen fertilizer will help encourage fungi, which will aid in its decay, especially in warmer temps (from 60 on up to 90 degrees F.) (15-32 C.). Then, drill one-inch holes around the stump, making a perimeter. % of people told us that this article helped them. Fill the holes with a stump removal chemical, then wait 4 to 6 weeks for the stump to rot. It will take some time, but after a while, all you’ll have left is ash. This article has been viewed 946,231 times. Light the stump on fire, and it will burn for several hours. You might speed it up by uncovering the stump occasionally and re-adding the rotting agent and lots of water, then covering it again. It sounds like the easiest way would be to use the chemical stump killing, method as that would allow it to rot without damaging the surrounding neck, though removal will still be difficult. To do this, you will need a drill, potassium nitrate, and a chainsaw. Cover the stump with dirt or continue to use the area as a fire pit. To remove a tree stump, first use a shovel to dig up the soil around the tree so the roots are exposed. Step 1: Drill holes in the stump and sprinkle your powdered tree stump removal product inside. Some people also add Epsom salts to rot a stump. I decided to figure out the best ways for how to kill a tree stump naturally. Alternate between the shovel, digging bar, and mattock to reveal the roots around the stump. The good news with using Epsom … Pour Tree Stump Removal Chemicals into the Holes. This will serve your accelerator. Previously, he was the Executive Director of the San Bruno Mountain Watch in California. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Easy as that. I am using the, "This wikiHow page offered far more detail than I needed. The age of the tree can also give you an idea of how difficult it will be to remove. Please seek professional help when needed. For full details on removing the stump yourself, see the steps above. You will need to drill holes into the stump and fill them with Epsom salt to get them to work, and while it will dry the stump out faster, it won’t necessarily make it decompose any faster, in my experience. Quick Tip: Remove a Tree Stump with Epsom Salt Sick of stumps? The Homesteading Hippy is a participant in the Amazon Services L.L.C. There are various techniques you can use to remove a tree stump, all of which will vary in their practicality depending on how big the stump is. For a faster method, you can rent a stump grinder from a home improvement store. Carefully rake away any debris, ideally using a leaf blower. As a stump remover, potassium nitrate will stimulate wood decomposition and will kill the wood completely. So let’s look at the problem of tree stumps and how best to remove them. Principal, Regenerative Communities Collective. Sharpening a chain takes time and money. This is a good technique to use on old, dried-out stumps in particular. There may be rocks in the stump that can break your chain. Light the charcoal and let the fire burn until the stump is gone. Personally, I don’t recommend this, as it can dull your chainsaw chain, which will cost you both time and money when it comes to sharpening it. First, keep in mind that renting a professional will cost anywhere from $50 to $350. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. For the best effect, fill a bottle with vinegar and cover the tree stump with the liquid. For smaller stumps, you can use a digging bar to pry the stump out. During that time, a lot of bad things can happen. last method by adding a chemical to the stump and allowing it to rot. One easy way to burn a tree stump is to place a ring of rocks around the stump to act as a makeshift fire barrier or fire pit. You’ll also need a chain and two 2x4s, along with a bolt. Invite your friends over for a bonfire – it’s time to get off some stumps! You should only use a truck and chain to remove a tree stump if you find yourself stuck after following the steps detailed above. The practicality of this depends on several factors. Use a rocking motion to work the stump loose. Whether they fall because you’ve cut them or because a disease or natural disaster takes its toll, the inevitable truth is that at some point, you’re going to have fallen trees to contend with on your property. Required fields are marked *. Keep drilling holes until you meet with the other holes on the alternate side to make 45-degree angles. I work at a chemical so I can free sodium hydroxide. There are some people who believe that you can just let a tree stump rot into the ground – it will more or less take care of itself. If you don’t want to wait for years, rent heavy equipment, or spend hours digging out your tree stump, you may just need to bite the bullet and call the pros. You can also purchase a handyman jack to remove a tree stump. Still, I will be back to wikiHow. After you’ve ground down roughly four inches with the wheel, move it forward and then repeat the process until the stump is at least four inches below the ground. You won’t want to do this if you’ve already used chemicals, but you can easily have a fun bonfire – and get rid of tree stumps – without breaking your back. Stumps can become nesting grounds for snakes and ants. You can remove a tree stump yourself provided you’re willing to do a lot of hard work and hire a stump grinder. ", "Just know that using the basic tools and my time and labor. One of the easiest ways to remove a shallowly-rooted tree stump is to use a grub hoe and come-along. Pull forward slowly, then reverse to wiggle the stump loose. Turn the grinder on, then lower it three inches into the stump. You'll know this has happened when the stump becomes soft and spongey. When you need to remove a tree stump, the main thing is cutting away the roots. It is often explicitly sold as a stump remover. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Copyright © 2020 TheHomesteadingHippy.com. However, buying a new chain is cheaper than renting a stump grinder. … It will depend on what charges the hiring place has but generally you’re probably looking at anywhere between USD$80 up to $250 a day for stump grinder hire. If you’re already paying someone to come and cut down the tree, tossing them a little extra cash to get rid of the stump while they’re there might not be a bad idea. How do I get rid of a tree stump that is 6' high and about 15 feet' wide? Start by digging around the stump so you can use your saw to cut it beneath the ground level.