Home » Misc » How to get stumps out of ground

How to get stumps out of ground


How To Kill a Tree Stump (2022 Guide)

Affiliate Disclosure: This Old House‘s Reviews Team is committed to delivering honest, objective, and independent reviews on home products and services. To support this business model, This Old House may be compensated if you purchase through links on our website.

From home remedies to professional solutions, here’s everything you need to know about getting rid of a tree stump in your yard.

Reviews by This Old House Reviews Team 10/05/2022 2:05 pm

Cutting down trees in your yard is a great way to improve the natural lighting for other plants and make way for new trees to grow. If you’ve removed a tree in your yard, you know how pesky its leftover stump can be.

While you could leave it alone, it could start to grow, sprouting annoying shoots from its roots, or it may take years to naturally rot and decompose. Try the following techniques to kill the tree stump and remove it from your yard or find a tree removal expert to take care of it for you.

Home Remedies for Tree Stump Removal

Here are a few ways you can get rid of a tree stump before getting your hands dirty with physical removal.

Epsom Salt

This is a common DIY method for killing tree trunks, as it accelerates the decomposition process to 6–12 months, as opposed to three to seven years for natural rotting. Epsom salt contains magnesium and sulfur, which are beneficial to plants but deadly in large quantities. Overdosing the stump with Epsom salt pulls the moisture out of it, killing it and accelerating the decaying process.

Here’s how to use Epsom salt to kill a tree stump:

  1. Drill deep holes in the stump about an inch wide with a power drill and a wide drill bit.
  2. Sprinkle the stump with water after covering the top of the stump with Epsom salt.
  3. Cover the stump with a tarp to keep the rain from washing away the substance.
  4. Repeat this process every few weeks to ensure its success.

If this process is successful, the stump will die within two to three months and be close to full decay after a year. This is a great solution for homeowners who want a slower, natural approach to killing their tree stump.

Rock Salt

Similar to Epsom salt, rock salt can help kill and decay a stump with minimal effort. Here’s how to kill a tree stump with rock salt:

  1. Drill holes into the stump.
  2. Pack the holes with rock salt.
  3. After all of the holes are packed and the stump is covered in salt, pour soil and mulch over the stump.
  4. Then, pour water over the mulch—this will dissolve the salt, help the roots absorb the solution, and pack the soil.

Keep watering the stump every few days for one to two months to keep the stump moist with the saltwater solution, promoting absorption and the growth of fungi that can accelerate the stump’s decomposition. You can also add a potassium nitrate fertilizer to further support the growing fungi.

Plastic Bag or Tarp

Perhaps the easiest method to kill a tree stump is forcing darkness on it. Without sunlight, the tree stump will die, accelerating the decomposition process. Rotting should start to take place in two to three months.

Here’s how to kill a tree stump with a plastic bag or tarp:

  1. Similar to other methods, cut the stump as close to the roots as possible with a chainsaw, hatchet, or handsaw.
  2. Cover the stump with a black trash bag.
  3. Weigh the bag down with heavy rocks or bricks. For a smaller stump, use a dark-colored bucket or container to cover the stump.

This technique requires little to no effort, but it can be slower compared with the physical removal methods.

Boiling Water

You don’t need to purchase any substance or solution to try this remedy—all you need is hot water.

  1. Expose as much of the stump’s root structure as possible.
  2. Drill holes into the roots and on top of the stump—this will help the scalding water reach as much of the root system as possible and kill the roots with heat.
  3. Once all the roots are exposed, pour boiling water over them. The heat from the water will shock the root system, severely damaging it and killing it.

Once the stump and roots are dead, the natural decomposition process can begin.

Techniques To Physically Remove a Tree Stump

If you have the time and resources to use physical methods to kill and remove your tree stump, consider the following techniques. Compared to home remedies, they are much quicker but take a bit more effort, tools, and money to perform.

Use Fire To Kill a Tree Stump

Use some kindling or kerosene to burn the stump so that it doesn’t protrude from the ground. This method will kill the tree, but it won’t completely get rid of the tree roots and stump. Keep in mind that this may not be an option if you live in an area with a dry climate that’s prone to wildfires. Check with your local fire department to see if burning a tree stump falls in line with the local fire code.

Once you have approval to burn your tree stump, there are a few ways you can move forward. You can drill holes into the trunk, pour kerosene into each hole, light scrap wood on the surface of the stump, and carefully monitor the wood as it burns. This method is slower, but it burns the wood from deeper within the stump.

You can also cut criss-cross lines in the wood that are about five to six inches deep with a chainsaw, then simply light some kindling on top and monitor the stump until it’s burned down below ground level.

Dig the Tree Stump Out of the Ground

Digging out a tree stump is one way to remove it from your yard, but it can require time-consuming work that can be potentially destructive to your yard or garden. This method allows you to remove as many tree roots as possible and ensure that the stump doesn’t continue to grow. To save time and effort, consider hiring a professional with digging equipment to handle the job.

Here’s how to dig a tree stump out of the ground:

  1. Dig around the stump, exposing as many roots as possible.
  2. Use a chainsaw, hatchet, or handsaw to cut the larger roots. As you continue digging, you may find smaller roots that can be cut with clippers or loppers.
  3. Once you’ve cut all of the roots around the stump, lift and remove the stump from the ground.
  4. Fill the hole with dirt and cover it with topsoil or mulch.

Note: This process can take multiple hours of labor, depending on the size of the tree stump and the root structure.

Free Quote: Get your free quote on professional stump removal today

Grinding the Tree Stump

This is the quickest method for killing and removing tree stumps. It involves hiring a tree removal specialist or renting a stump grinder machine to break apart the wood in the trunk and tree roots. Typical prices for this job are around $100–$400. Stump grinder machine rental costs typically fall between $80 and $150 for a four-hour window.

To grind a tree stump, start by trimming the stump with a chainsaw, digging around it and removing any rocks. Then, use the machine’s cutter blade to chip away at the wood and cut any roots that are connected to the stump. This process can take anywhere from two to six hours depending on the size of the stump. Once you’re finished, spread dirt in and over the hole, adding topsoil or mulch if desired.

What To Avoid When Killing Tree Stumps

Here are a few factors to consider when removing or killing tree stumps to ensure safety and effectiveness:

The Bottom Line

If you’re trying to remove a tree stump from your yard, try one of the above methods. While we recommend the DIY techniques if you’re not in a hurry, renting a machine or hiring a professional to help grind the stump is the fastest solution.

Free Quote: Get your free quote on professional stump removal today

Enter your ZIP code into the tool below to find tree removal experts in your area that can help you get rid of your pesky stump.

Frequently Asked Questions

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews team at [email protected].

5 Ways to Remove a Tree Stump

You eliminated the tree that just didn’t work in your yard, but now you have the stump to contend with. Surprisingly, removing it is no easy task.  In fact, it’s left you, well — stumped. But never fear! Here are 5 ways to remove a tree stump.

No. 1: Use Chemicals

Using chemicals to remove a tree stump is the least labor-intensive way to get rid of it. However, this process does take time, especially if the size of the stump is large.

In some cases, it could take up to a year for the stump removal process to be complete because you are literally rotting the pesky stump. But the good news is that this method is inexpensive if you already have a chainsaw and drill.

The materials you need to purchase will cost you less than $20. Here are our five picks for stump removal chemicals.

To get your tree stump out this way, you’ll need the following:

How to Remove a Tree Stump Using Chemicals

Once you’ve got your materials, you can begin. But remember, when you use a chemical stump remover, be patient as it will take at least four weeks in most cases to see results. If you are looking for a way to rot a tree stump fast, this is it. Normally, it takes three to seven years for a stump to rot.

Step 1: Using your chainsaw, take off as much of the stump that’s above ground level as possible. Be sure to have protective safety gear on such as safety goggles and steel toe boots.

Step 2: Next, it’s time to drill holes through what is left of the tree stump. Space the holes closely together and use the largest drill bit that you can. Go as deep and wide as you can with these holes.

Step 3: Fill the holes using water first, then add the potassium nitrate. You could also use another type of fertilizer high in nitrogen, or even stump remover granules designed for this process.

Step 4: Soak the ground all around the tree stump with water to get it nice and saturated, then cover the area with a plastic tarp. The tarp will help to keep moisture in and accelerate the rotting process.

Step 5: Cover the tarp with mulch, preferably an organic variety, and water again to help retain moisture and soak the area.

Step 6: Check on the progress periodically and add more water and nitrogen to your tree stump, then recover with mulch and more water.

Step 7:  After four to six weeks have passed, your tree stump should become spongy. If so, you can use an ax to speed up the process and remove portions of the tree stump. If enough of it comes loose, you can cover what remains with dirt, and create a flower bed or even plant grass seed. If the stump is still firm, repeat the process.

If you discover that the old tree stump hasn’t progressed as far as you’d like, you can always move on to the burn method listed below.

Or, if you want to avoid harsh chemicals, fuel oil, or anything else that’s not natural, you could use the Epsom salt method. Follow the steps above but switch out Epsom salt for the potassium nitrate.

No. 2: Remove Stump Manually

If you don’t want to use chemical stump removal or wait too long to get rid of the tree stump, it may be possible to remove it manually. Again, it’s not expensive to do it this way if you already have the tools. It may take around three to 12 hours to finish the project, but once you are done, that stump will be history.

The tools that you need to gather or purchase include:

Be sure to wear safety gear such as work gloves and steel toe boots for this project.

How to Manually Remove a Tree Stump

Manually removing a stump is definitely more labor-intensive, but it will get the job done fast. This method is best used on small to medium-sized tree trunks. If your stump is larger, then you’ll probably need a stump grinder, which we will talk about later.

Step 1: Use the broad end of the mattock to dig around the stump and loosen the dirt.

Step 2: Remove the loosened dirt with a shovel so that you see the tree roots.

Step 3: With your mattock (or a small bow) sever the tree roots from your tree trunk.

Step 4: Continue to dig and chop until you reach the taproot and clear an area around it.

Step 5: Using an ax or bow saw, cut through the taproot.

Once you’ve cut through the taproot, you can wiggle the tree stump around and pull it out of the topsoil. This process will take hours, but when it’s over, your tree stump will be gone.

Another strategy for removing a tree stump manually is to use a wedge, which this video illustrates.

No. 3: Burn the Stump

Another do-it-yourself option is the burn method. This may be used alone or in conjunction with one of the two stump removal methods listed above. The supplies you’ll need to burn your stump include:

How to Burn a Tree Stump

Burning the stump may seem daunting, but as long as safety measures are followed, this is an effective method to remove a tree stump. Carefully follow the instructions:

Step 1:  Drill holes in the stump and sprinkle your powdered tree stump removal product inside. This will help to make the wood porous.

Step 2:  Pour kerosene or fuel oil into the holes. Soak the tree stump completely, allowing the porous wood to absorb the fuel.

Step 3: Ignite the tree stump and let it burn. Watch it closely and make sure that the flame smolders. Once it is just about finished, you can cover it with topsoil to help put out any remnants of the fire.

This is a fast method for removal, but if you live in a neighborhood, you may want to check first that it’s acceptable to use kerosene on your tree stump.

No.

4: Use a Stump Grinder

If you are dealing with a larger stump, or have multiple old tree stumps to remove, renting a stump grinder may be your best DIY bet. Stump grinders that are available at your local home improvement store generally cost between $100 and $200 to rent. You’ll also need a few extra tools including:

How to Remove a Tree Stump With a Stump Grinder

Stump grinders are large machines that can weigh around 1,000 pounds. So before you rent one, make sure you have a vehicle that can transport it to and from your home, or that the rental company can deliver it and take it away.

Step 1: Clear dirt, debris, and rocks away from the tree stump using your mattock or shovel.

Step 2: Using your chainsaw, cut as much of the stump as possible. Ground-level is ideal.

Step 3: Place the stump grinder wheel a few inches above the stump and turn it on.

Step 4: Lower it about 3 inches and move it from side to side using its lever.

Step 5: Grind it down about 4 inches using the grinder wheel and repeat until the entire perimeter of the stump is 4 inches below the ground.

Step 6: Fill the hole with the wood chips which are the remnants of your stump then cover with topsoil and/or grass.

While this is a home improvement project that you can do yourself, be sure to do your research before you begin. These machines can be a challenge to operate and you will need the proper safety gear and attire.

No. 5: Call in the Pros

If waiting weeks, working on it for hours, lighting fires, or operating heavy equipment don’t appeal to you, you can always hire a local tree care professional. If you’re already getting a tree cut down, ask that company to remove the trunk. They will charge you an additional fee, but you may be able to negotiate a favorable rate since you are already working with them.

It generally costs between $175 and $516 per stump for removal. To get a good estimate, measure the diameter of the stump and multiply this by $2 to $5. The average cost for professional removal is $326.

Stump grinding costs from $158 to $450 depending on the size of the stump. The average cost of stump grinding is $313.

Advice from a Pro

Since the cost to rent a stump grinder ranges from $200 to $400, you could actually come out ahead by hiring a service instead. Gerald Williams, owner of C-Trees & More in Houston, Texas said that in many cases the stump grinders available for rent at places like Home Depot are not big enough for most jobs.

“I’ve seen people rent these machines and try to do it themselves,” he said. “They get worked to death trying to remove the stump with one of these small grinders, and then they still end up calling a professional in to do the job. ”

He said that you can rent a stronger, professional-grade stump grinder, but warns that these can cost around $400 or more.  Additionally, he said that the commercial-grade grinders require skill to operate as well as the proper equipment to haul them.

The Bottom Line: By calling a professional, you’ll not only avoid hauling heavy equipment, but you’ll also avoid safety glasses, sawdust, and the local fire department.

How to Choose the Best Way to Remove a Tree Stump

There are several aspects to consider when choosing how to remove a tree stump. Does it have a deep root system? Is the stump small, medium, or large? Large tree stumps may not come out as easily as smaller stumps with some of these methods.

And why do you want to get rid of it? Is it an eyesore that you are ready to eliminate, or are you willing to wait? Once you have the details and reasoning behind the stump removal, you’re ready to choose your tree stump killer. 

FAQ About Tree Stump Removal

How Far Down Should a Stump be Ground?

Generally, tree stumps are ground from between 4 inches to 6 inches below the surface. This length is ideal because it’s deep enough for the lawn to regrow over the remaining stump and roots. Further grinding can be done, but it can be challenging for a DIYer and cost more if you hire a professional.

Can I Leave a Tree Stump in the Ground?

If you leave a tree stump and its roots in the ground, it’ll decay. Sometimes it can take up to a decade for the decay process to start, but it will eventually start. In the meantime, it’ll be vulnerable to organisms, fungi, diseases, and pests like termites and other wood-destroying insects.

Can you Remove a Tree Stump with Epsom Salt?

Yes. It is a long, drawn-out process, but you can use Epson salt to remove a tree stump. You can either drill a few holes on the top of the stump, dump in the salt, and then add enough water to moisten the salt. The other option is to make a 2:1 water: salt solution and dump it on the stump, then cover it with a tarp, and repeat the process a week later. Both methods will slowly draw the moisture out of the stump and kill it. Chip away at the dead pieces as they form until, eventually, the stump shrinks enough to pull out of the ground.

If I Grind the Stump, What will Happen to the Roots?

Eventually, they’ll decay and break down, returning to the environment. Because the roots are below ground, they don’t cause the same issues as leaving the tree stump. However, if you’re concerned, you can use most the same methods to remove the roots as you would the stump.

If I use a Herbicide, How Long will it Take to Work?

It depends on a few factors. How new is the stump? How big is the stump? What product did you use? On average, results should appear in 6 to 8 weeks. However, it may take several months for the stump to decompose.

No Longer Stumped

If you’ve got an annoying stump in your yard that you are ready to remove, you have options. This final stage of tree care really depends on how quickly you want the stump removed, how much work you are willing to put into it, and of course, how much you want to spend to remove it.

If you’re ready to take action, contact a local tree care professional to remove the stump and take this chore off your lawn care to-do list.

* LawnStarter participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. LawnStarter may earn revenue from products promoted in this article.

LawnStarter writer Nicki DeStasi updated this article.

Main photo credit: Shutterstock

Jennifer Lester

Jennifer Lester is a freelance writer and social media strategist who covers a variety of home and garden topics. She’s a graduate of Texas A&M University and the proud mom of three boys. In her spare time, she volunteers in her community and her children’s schools.

Posts by Jennifer Lester

How to get rid of stumps and tree roots on the site: 4 ways

Sooner or later, every owner of the site is faced with the problem of removing stumps. Even if they didn’t exist initially, they will definitely appear over time. Aging and diseases of fruit trees, the need for redevelopment of the territory - there can be a lot of reasons. We will analyze several working methods on how to remove a stump from the site quickly and easily.

All about uprooting stumps yourself

Is it always necessary
4 working methods
— Manual uprooting
— Burnout
— Chemical destruction
— Mulching

The easiest way to solve the problem of removing large and small stumps is during the development of the site. If the territory has not yet been ennobled, special equipment is ordered. With its help, in just a few hours, they clean the site. The disadvantage of this method is obvious: heavy machinery and destructive mechanical uprooting will leave numerous marks on the site. But if the territory is still going to be ennobled, it's not scary.

It is much more difficult to choose the right solution, how to get rid of a stump in an already developed area. There can be a lot of options, but each of them has certain disadvantages. First of all, you need to understand whether it is really necessary to get rid of a piece of wood. After all, you can benefit from them. For example, an interesting landscape decor is obtained from the rest of the trunk. In order to make it, the core is hollowed out and a fertile substrate is poured into the cavity. The resulting "bed" is used to grow flowers, vegetables or berries. Such a flower bed or garden bed can become the center of an interesting multi-tiered composition. A good option is growing mushrooms. Their spores are inhabited by the remains of wood, where mushroom families germinate very quickly.

It turns out an unusual and useful “decoration”. Honey mushrooms or oyster mushrooms will give several harvests over the summer. At the same time, the mycelium actively destroys wood, because it needs food for growth. In five to six years, mushrooms will completely destroy the remains of the tree. Flowers or vegetables "work" in a similar way, however, they need much more time to destroy.

ShutterStock

If the stump stands where it is planned to set up a flower garden or beds, or somehow interferes with the improvement, you have to think about how to uproot the stump on the site. You can invite specialists with a cutter. A powerful technique will crush the wood, deepening 20-30 cm. This is enough to get rid of the roots. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to use the services of specialists. Then use the methods available for independent use.

1. Manual uprooting

In order not to mess with the remains of the tree, when sawing, you can cut the trunk at ground level. This is done if they do not interfere and it is possible to leave them to rot in the soil. To speed up the process, the cut is chopped with an ax. Sooner or later, the rhizomes will rot, but this will not happen very soon. All the time, while the processes of overheating are going on, it will not be possible to break a garden bed, put up any building, etc. at this place.

When there is no time to wait, choose manual uprooting. This is a very labor intensive method. To begin with, they dig a hole around the hemp, exposing the rhizome. It is important to expose all root processes in the trunk area. You can not remove the soil with a shovel, but wash it off. To do this, put a drain chute in the pit and “wash” the rhizome with a stream of water under strong pressure. The bare root shoots are cut. This must be done very carefully so as not to get hurt. It is extremely inconvenient to work in the pit, the roots are most often mixed up and very hard. But it is imperative to cut them, otherwise, when the hemp is pulled out, the long rhizome will easily destroy the adjacent path, fence or building foundation. A snag with chopped roots is fixed to a winch or any other lifting mechanism and pulled out of the ground. If it is not possible to use mechanical devices, the stump is split, loosened and untwisted fragments, removed from the ground.

Instagram vash_sadovnik__

Instagram vash_sadovnik__

Uprooting takes a lot of time and effort, so not everyone is ready to do it. There are ways to remove the stump without uprooting. They are much easier. Let's analyze the most effective of them.

2. Use of fire

A very simple but rather dangerous method. It can be used with certain restrictions. First of all, the remains of the tree must be removed from buildings, fences, underground and air communications, power lines. It is impossible to carry out the procedure on peat soils (peat bogs ignite quickly and can smolder for a long time). Putting out an underground fire is very difficult, almost impossible.

Burning is carried out in calm, dry weather. All flammable items are removed to a safe distance and be sure to prepare a supply of water in case the situation gets out of control. Start by drilling two channels inside the hemp. Drill to the maximum possible depth. One is lowered strictly vertically, and the second is placed at an angle to it. In the first there will be a fire, through the second it will receive the air necessary for combustion. In large snags, it is advisable to drill several holes for air. This will speed up the burning.

ShutterStock

A flammable liquid is poured into the central cavity. It is best to take lighter fluid or diesel fuel. Gasoline will burn very quickly, which will not give the desired effect. A cotton wick is lowered inside the hole and lit. The only thing left to do is keep the fire going. Depending on the condition of the wood, it will last from 13 to 16 hours.

You can speed up the process if you remove the stump using the Tsiolkovsky method. In this case, "caramel fuel" is used as fuel. This is a mixture of ammonium nitrate and sugar in a ratio of 7:3. The ingredients are mixed and carefully poured into the drilled hole. You need to know that the mixture gives a very strong flame. In a matter of minutes, the entire snag, including the roots, burns out. Therefore, it is imperative to observe precautionary measures: it is necessary to ignite the fuel from a certain distance; for this, a gasoline “path” is laid to it.

3.

Chemical destruction

The essence of the method is the decomposition of root residues with the help of chemicals. This is an effective, but slow way to get rid of tree roots. Different preparations are used for destruction, but the method of their application is approximately the same. To begin with, as many deep holes as possible are drilled in the saw cut. This is best done in the fall, two to four weeks before the first frost. The chemical substance will have time to penetrate into the most remote root shoots before the cold weather and will destroy them all winter.

Chemical reagent is poured into the holes. Most often it is carbamide, aka urea. This is a well-known fertilizer that decomposes wood in large quantities. The granules are tightly packed in the cavity, spilled with water, covered with plastic cut and the film is securely fixed. You can plug filled holes with corks or cover with clay. After a few months, the snag will soften, it will be easier to remove it from the ground. Urea, even in large quantities, is relatively safe for the site.

The same cannot be said about potassium or sodium nitrate. They are also used to destroy wood residues. Nitrogen salts are toxic in high doses, so the technique is not suitable for areas where there are new plantings near tree residues. Saltpeters act differently than urea. They dry up the root, which is then easily taken out of the ground. If the soil is not peaty, you can simply burn it, because it is saturated with a substance that stimulates combustion. To destroy a hemp with a diameter of 15-16 cm, it is necessary to lay 2,000 g of any reagent.

Salt will help solve the problem of how to remove stumps from freshly cut trees. Tree juices will quickly spread it throughout the rhizome, which the salt will “dry out” in a year and a half. The removal procedure is the same as described above. You need to know that a high concentration of salt will not allow plants to develop in this place for several years.

Copper or iron sulphate can also be used as a chemical reagent. Each of these preparations is a highly effective insecticide and fungicide, toxic in large doses. Vitriol is used for chemical uprooting of diseased stumps. No other way can prevent the infection of nearby plantings.

Herbicides work quickly and effectively. They process only a fresh cut, pour the roots with a solution. Autumn processing allows you to remove the rhizomes from the ground in the spring without any problems. But the soil turns out to be contaminated with herbicides, nothing will grow here for several years.

ShutterStock

4. Mulching

The essence of the technique is that the mulch layer blocks the access of air to the saw cut. Without oxygen, the roots slowly die. True, it takes a lot of time. Mulching is more suitable for destroying small stumps. For example, it will be a good solution for getting rid of cherry or plum roots.

The trunk is cut at ground level or slightly above. The saw cut is covered with a dense layer of mulch 20-25 cm high. It is desirable to cover the entire near-trunk circle. Any organic matter is suitable as mulch: chopped grass, leaves, plant debris. The rhizomes will rot for a long time, for several years. All this time, organic matter will have to be added, as its layer is thinning.

ShutterStock

There are many ways to uproot trees. The optimal one is chosen taking into account the prevailing conditions. So, effective mechanical uprooting is not suitable for an already ennobled area, but on a newly developed area it will help to get rid of rhizomes quickly and easily. In order not to spoil the landscape design, they invite specialists with a cutter, they can remove any stumps in a short time. Or use the safest chemical uprooting. Burning is effective, but it must be done very carefully. The risk of fire and fire is too great.

Prepared by

Inna Yasinovskaya

methods of chemical removal of trees and stumps using saltpeter, urea and other reagents

Chemical removal of stumps (butt and rhizomes) is based on the processes that occur in wood under the influence of various reagents.

Exposure to the right reagent not only kills all wood, including even roots that are not too large, but also destroys all pathogens of trunk and roots.

At the same time, each of the methods has one or another negative effect on the soil , so the method of chemical action must be chosen taking into account this effect in order to minimize harm to the subsequent use of this piece of land.

Unfortunately, chemical attack cannot destroy the stump and root system, which will require dead wood to be burned or uprooted.

Therefore, chemical action is most often used in the fight against pathogens and in cases where it is necessary not only to pull out the butt with roots, but also to prevent the germination of the remnants of the root system.

For more information on how to remove stumps from trees in various ways, including uprooting and burning, see here.

Contents

  • When is such tree stump removal justified?
  • Popular drugs and their uses
    • Saltpeter and urea
    • Copper or iron vitriol
    • Table salt
  • When is the best time to treat?
  • Safety measures
  • Related videos
  • Conclusion

When is such tree stump removal justified?

As a result of removing wood with chemicals without uprooting , aggressive substances enter the soil, which negatively affect many plants.

Some of these substances can be neutralized in various ways, making the soil suitable for planting, but if construction is planned on the cleared area, then these substances will not affect the properties of the soil in any way.

Therefore, it is worth using chemical destruction and removal of stumps only if the side effects will not affect the further use of the land in any way or they can be neutralized.

The most effective chemical uprooting in relation to trees growing wild and located next to buildings . Many wild-growing breeds are distinguished by survivability, therefore, even after mechanical removal of most of the root, shoots are released and continue to grow.

Using the right preparations, you can completely stop their growth and destroy most of the root system, after which the site can be used in any way.

Chemical uprooting is also the most effective in relation to the root system of diseased trees. The thing is that pathogens infect groundwater, which can lead to an epidemic among other plants.

Mechanical or manual uprooting does not remove all roots , and it is not always possible to burn out the remains, so the only reliable way to deal with such diseases is to chemically destroy the roots. Learn more about how to remove stumps and roots chemically.

Popular drugs and their uses

Here is a list of the most popular reagents that are used to destroy tree stumps and root systems:

  • saltpeter and urea;
  • copper or iron sulfate;
  • table salt.

Saltpeter and urea

These reagents (potassium and ammonium nitrate, as well as urea) are used where it is possible to burn the stump after processing.

After all, they do not destroy the wood, but sharply increase its flammability , which is why even the roots flare up from a small fire.

For their application, holes are drilled with a diameter of 10-50 mm, the location of the holes depends on the method of removal of the tree.

On sawn stumps they drill vertically, evenly distributing holes along the cut, on broken ones they drill a trunk, placing holes around the entire perimeter.

Hole spacing 5-10 cm . If the barrel is drilled from the outside, then the drill is directed at an angle of 20–40 degrees so that the reagent does not spill out.

Any kind of saltpeter or urea is poured into the prepared holes (no need to mix them together) to the top, then a little water is poured in order for the granules to settle, and the holes are closed with a wooden, clay or plasticine stopper.

A wooden cork is made from a thick branch with a knife so that it enters the hole by 1-2 mm with a noticeable effort. Then her is inserted into the hole filled with reagent and hammered with a hammer so that it sinks 1-2 cm. The protruding remains of branches are not cut off so as not to loosen the cork.

Clay plug can be made from clay or surface soil by crushing the soil and adding a little water.

The amount of water is determined empirically - after thorough mixing, the clay should have a consistency similar to a very thick dough or not very hard plasticine.

The clay is put into the hole until it is full and compacted with a finger, gradually adding more. Plasticine cork is also made, only plasticine is used instead of clay.

After 1–2 years, the roots are dug up and a small fire is laid around the trunk .

If you do not know how to dig in the roots, we recommend reading the article Manual uprooting.

Then the fire is lit and the fire from the burning stump does not spread to neighboring trees, buildings or grass.

While the stump impregnated with reagents “ripens”, the soil around it is filled with nitrogen-containing substances , so it is advisable to plant any fruit plants at a distance of 4–5 meters from it. This distance is enough for the amount of nitrates to drop to a safe level.

After burning the stump, the hole is covered with old and new soil, then inedible plants are planted that produce a large amount of green mass. In autumn, all the greenery collected from the plant must be burned in order to completely utilize the nitrogenous compounds unsuitable for plants and people.

Next year the site is ready to accept any plants. If construction work is planned at this place, then you can start them immediately after the pit cools down.

This method is ineffective against diseases of plants with a widely branched root system , because the reagents will not damage pathogens located significantly below the burning zone. In addition, it cannot be used on peaty soils, because a burning stump will set fire to peat, and an underground fire will start, which is very difficult to extinguish.

Copper or iron sulfate

Both substances are very toxic and kill any bacteria living in the wood, so they are used to disinfect the roots of diseased trees. Preparations are applied in the same way as saltpeter, only holes are made with a diameter of 5–8 mm and a depth of 5–10 cm. After the wood dies, the roots must be dug up and uprooted in any way or, overlaid with firewood, burned.

These reagents must not be used near metal pipes as they will drastically increase all corrosion processes.

In addition, within a radius of 3–5 meters, the content of these substances will increase, which will negatively affect the vital activity of microorganisms involved in soil restoration, so any plants will grow poorly there for several years .

If the roots were not removed, but burned, then this period will increase to tens of years. If the roots are uprooted, then in 2–3 years the level of these substances will decrease, after which the soil will gradually recover.

Table salt

This reagent completely kills the roots and any microorganisms that live in them in 1-2 months. They are introduced in the same way as both types of vitriol.

If the area around the tree is to be used as a road or a concrete pad, the stump and roots can be burned after dying. In all other cases, they must be uprooted, otherwise an excess of salt will make the soil barren for decades, and any iron product will quickly rust.

When is the best time to treat?

If there is rot in a broken tree, or the roots are affected by some kind of disease, then vitriol or salt can be applied at any time of the year , because the fight against the disease and the prevention of an epidemic of trees comes first.

If there is no urgency, then it is advisable to apply all types of reagents after the end of the autumn rainy season , 1-3 weeks before the onset of frost.

During this time, the reagents will penetrate below the soil level and will impregnate the wood even during frost. In addition, the lack of rain will not wash out the reagent and reduce its effectiveness.

Safety precautions

Ammonium and potassium nitrates are explosive combustible substances, so they must be used with extreme caution.

Do not smoke while handling. 1-3 months after laying the saltpeter in the wood there are active processes associated with the release of combustible gases, so you can not smoke or make a fire near the stump treated with these reagents.

Copper and iron sulphate in a dry state are safe for human skin, but when working with them, you must use a respirator, goggles and gloves.

After adding water, vitriol crystals will quickly turn into a toxic liquid that can burn the skin. Especially dangerous is the ingress of crystals and drops on the mucous parts of the body.

Table salt is safe when dry and takes a long time to dissolve in water. No safety precautions are required when working with coarse salt , however goggles must be used when working with fine salt as unexpected gusts of wind can blow it into the eye.

To reduce the risk of fire during the burning of the stump and roots, a circular earthen mound ≥50 cm high should be built around the pit. Burning wood should not be left unattended, because it can shoot fairly large sparks that fly 5–10 meters and only go out after a few minutes.

In addition, should always have a fire extinguisher at hand and, preferably, a hose connected to the water supply - this will help to extinguish a fire starting far from the stump.

Do not stand on the lee side of burning wood, because it, impregnated with saltpeter or urea, releases toxic substances when burned.

In addition, it is desirable to obtain permission from the nearest department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations to burn stumps, because otherwise they can issue a large fine. You will find more information on this subject in this article (Incineration).

Do not use other chemical agents, especially those based on glyphosate (Roundup, Typhoon, Santi).

Learn more