4 Ways To Remove Tree Stumps

4 Ways To Remove Tree Stumps

4 Ways To Remove Tree Stumps
photo: sinnotttreeservice.com

Tree stumps can be referred to as the esthetic blemishes present in the garden landscape. The systems used to remove any tree stump depends largely on the size and age of the tree. Luckily, there are various methods that can be used to remove a range of tree stumps present in your home garden, without any need to experience the cost of a professional tree stump removal company.

Here we are going to discuss four ways to remove the tree stumps.
Digging out the tree stump
Grinding the tree stump
Burning the stump
Chemical tree stump remover

If you recently cut down any tree in your yard, there are many ways you can use to get rid of the stumps that are unpleasant. You can dig it up by hand, use the grinding method, burning method, chemical stump remover method. It is advisable to use the method/technique that works best for the root system you’re dealing with. Please check the methods and learn how to remove your tree stump.

FIRST METHOD: Digging out the tree stump

Digging out the tree stump
via Flickr

This is a manual method of removing stumps; it may take you a day or so or even up to two weeks. The major tools that are needed here are a shovel and ax – It is very labor intensive removing tree stumps this way

To remove a tree stump this way, follow this procedure

1. Make use of the shovel to dig around the roots of the tree stump. Dig as close as you can to the tree stump to make sure the roots underneath are exposed. Move around the edge of the tree stump and continue to dig until you are able to expose all of the main roots around the stump. Dig deep round the stump roots to expose the roots.

Meanwhile, if the root seems too deep and large and proves too difficult to be uncovered completely, then you may find it necessary to consider other root removal systems. This system/method works better when you can uncover the stump’s roots to their tips.

2. After digging around the stump, cut all the roots you can see. This depends on the size of the stump’s roots; you can use a root saw or Loppers to cut the roots into pieces. Cut the roots into pieces that will make it convenient for you to pull out of the ground. Toss them into a pile as you move, clear away the root system as much as possible.

You can use an ax to cut the stump’s roots, but this is optional because it can break easily if it strikes any hard substance, also it could get stuck in-between the roots if the roots are not completely exposed

3. Pull the pieces of root that you cut out. You can use a grub hoe in pulling the remaining embedded stump’s roots out of the ground even to the tips. If there is a need to make more cuts when pulling out, do so – it will ease the pulling out those pieces of roots from the ground. Keep removing the roots until you have removed all the main roots, and then make sure you pull out any leftover.

4. Removing the stump; meanwhile, the largest part of the roots have been removed, you should be able to displace the main stump easily now. You may need to dig underneath the stump using a shovel and cut a few of the remaining roots under the stump before you can finally get it out.

Now that you have effectively removed all the wood, you can now chop it up and then add it all to your compost pile.

5. Lastly, fill in the hole, this is the final step. You need to use sawdust or loam to fill up the hole if not; the surrounding ground will collapse into the hole which will lead to a large dent around the spot in your yard. When the sawdust or loam settles, it will make the ground sink a little, this will, of course, have to be filled over the next few months before the ground will stay flat.

SECOND METHOD: Grinding the Stump

Grinding the Stump
This method can only be used by a mechanically inclined person. This machine automatically grinds the stump.

1. Find a tree stump grinder. This machine will grind up tree stumps to their root structures to a depth of about one foot below the ground. You can rent stump grinders from machine rental houses. You can hire somebody to operate the stump grinder for you if you do not want to operate it yourself. Make sure you wear goggles, ear protection, and gloves if you want to operate the machine yourself.

2. Place the machine over the tree stump and start to grind. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines, place the tree stump grinder in a right position and switch it on. It will start grinding the tree stump’s surface and move it down through the stump into the ground until it has reached the stump’s roots. Move the stump grinder around the border of the stump to take care of the areal roots.

3. Use shovel to remove the grindings. The ground is more likely to repair itself faster if the ground up wood is removed. Remove it and use it for your compost or better still dispose of it.

4. Fill the hole with loam or sawdust, continue to add to the affected area as it helps it to depress over time.

THIRD METHOD: BURNING THE STUMPS

BURNING THE STUMPS

1. Set a wood fire on top of the tree stump. You can use the chopped-up tree as fuel to make the fire burn easily. Lay out the wood on top of the tree stump. Surround the tree stump with more wood in a way that the stump will be in the midst of the fire.

2. Sustain the fire. Though, you may spend several hours burning the tree stump. Keep adding additional wood to keep the fire large and hot. You need to keep the fire burning until the stump burns down to the ground.

3. Use a shovel to pull out the ash. After burning the stump, pull out the ash from the hole using a shovel and discard it safely.

4. Fill the hole by using loam or sawdust to replace the ash. Continue to add this to the affected area as it helps to depress the area over time.

FOURTH METHOD: USING A CHEMICAL STUMP REMOVER

chemical stump remover
Walkerma vie wikipedia.org

1. Use drilling tools to drill the stump and create holes in the stumps. Use drilling tools with a large drill bit, To do the drilling and create several holes in the top of the tree stump. Make sure you equally space the holes because the chemicals will be absorbed through these holes.

2. Apply the chemical stump remover. Some chemical stump removers are made of a powdery substance of potassium nitrate, this reacts with the wood to soften it and makes it rot more quickly. You can check the guidelines on the package to know how to apply the chemical stump remover.

3. Keep monitoring the stump. It will start to rot and soften within a few weeks. When you see that it has softened enough to be easily removed, then it is time to give it a finishing touch.

4. Now use a shovel or ax to chop up the softened tree stump. Pull out the pieces with a shovel as you chop them. Continue till the stump is leveled.

5. You can burn the remaining by lighting a fire over the rest of softened wood and allow it to burn through to the bottom. By doing this, you will remove the remaining of the stump and also the roots.

6. Fill the hole by using loam or sawdust to replace the ash. Continue to add materials to the affected area in order to depress it.

11 comments

  1. MELINDA DONAHUE

    use a car jack

  2. I prefer to leave the tree as tall as it is , dig a hole down one side as deep as you can , stack some logs on the other side , put a line as high as you can for leverage , pull the tree over onto the stack of logs using pullys for mechanical advantage . The weight of the tree will pull the roots up and out of the ground and you will have the roots above ground over the hole . Knock all the dirt off of the roots and pack as you fill in the hole . If you got all the dirt , the ground will be as level as the day the tree was planted .
    This is how I removed a dozen hundred foot pines .

  3. how about useing some black powder from muzzle loaser and blast it out! that is if you are out in the country far enough !?

  4. I really appreciate you talking about this, and giving me some great tips on how to remove a tree stump. I have one sitting in my backyard, and it has been such a struggle trying to get rid of it. But I really do think that if I were to use a grinder like you talked about, that it would help me out a ton.

    • Call around to local tree services. We’ve had several ground out for us and they ran $45 – $65 each. If you are dealing with only 1 stump it may be cheaper to have it done then to rent the grinder.

  5. Just soak the stump with diesel and then let it burn slowly.
    It will smolder for a day or two but it will be gone.

  6. I use my truck or Durango and a chain.

  7. My dad and I cut down a tree in my grandmas yard and we can’t seem to take the stump out. We tried digging out, only to find that the roots literally go so far down and its impossible to rip out. This article helped though and I hope that we can get it out before my grandmas party next week.

  8. The best way to get rid of a stump has to be grinding it out. Trust me, digging and burning stumps out is not an easy task. especially if you have a really big stump to deal with. The last tree stump I dug out took me two weeks to get out. The tree had been massive, but still, grinding would have saved me a ton of time.

  9. The chemical method worked for me its called Stump Out got it at a feed store. when i burned it i put deisel fuel on to light and it burned for 2 days all the roots and everything.