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How To Kill a Tree Stump (2022 Guide)

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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

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How to Kill Tree Roots (Project Guide)

Photo: istockphoto.com

Trees add great beauty to your landscape and their shade can help keep cooling costs low. But when a tree outgrows its location or is seriously damaged in a storm, it becomes a hazard that should be removed—and chopping it down is only half the battle.

A tree’s underground root system can extend up to 20 feet deep in ideal soil conditions, and spread over an even greater area. These tree roots can continue to grow even after the trunk is history and, if close to your sewer line or foundation, cause serious damage. Eliminate underground issues with either the chemical or natural treatment described here—just remember to use caution and keep both herbicide and rock salt out of reach of pets and kids. Now read on to get to the root of the problem.
 

Option 1: Chemical Herbicide

The fastest, most effective way to kill roots is with chemical herbicide, as soon as the tree has been cut down. If you can treat the tree immediately, proceed to Step 2; if not, follow Step 1.

Photo: istockphoto.com

TOOLS AND MATERIALS Available on Amazon
– Saw
– Watering can (or garden hose)
– Glyphosate herbicide (with 41 percent or higher active ingredient concentration)
– Small bucket
– Garden sprayer (or paintbrush)

1. If the tree was cut down days (or more) ago, make a fresh cut with a saw across what remains of the trunk.

This slice should create a flat surface and expose new flesh. With trees three inches or less in diameter, cut across the entire surface of the trunk. For larger trees, expose new flesh of the outer two to three inches.

2. Saturate the tree’s cambium layer—the outer ring located just under the bark—with 2 to 3 inches of water.

As this outer layer is still alive and growing, the liquid will help carry the herbicide from the live tissue to the tree roots.

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3. Mix a 50/50 solution of glyphosate herbicide to water and apply it to the exposed cambium layer.

You can use a garden sprayer, hand-held sprayer, or paintbrush to do so. Be careful in your application to avoid splashing and inadvertently harming plants or grass surrounding the trunk. Tree roots should die off completely in a couple of weeks.
 

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Option 2: Rock Salt

Although it takes longer than chemical herbicide, rock salt can effectively kill tree roots by robbing them of water.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS Available on Amazon
– Rock salt
– Water
– Drill (with 1-inch or larger drill bit)

1. Drill several holes 3 to 4 inches deep into the cut surface of the tree trunk.

Before you stow your power tool, bore several additional holes into any larger roots that are exposed near the ground.

2. Fill the holes completely with rock salt, and pour water into them to fill to the top.

Avoid overfilling, as the rock salt solution is harmful to surrounding vegetation and toxic to pets—you won’t want any spillover. Repeat this process several times for a few months, and eventually rock salt will kill the tree roots. (You’ll know the roots are dead when there is no longer any regrowth from the trunk.)

Fear that the roots have invaded a sewer line or your foundation? Maybe you wish to keep the decomposing material from feeding unattractive fungus. In either case, you could also attempt digging the larger tree roots out of the ground. It’s an arduous process, but once you remove them you can reclaim your lawn.

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Destruction of the roots of trees and bushes: the best means and methods

Renovation of the garden is invariably accompanied by cutting down old trees and planting new ones. But after that, one problem appears: stumps remain in place of the removed plants, which not only spoil the appearance of the garden, but also reduce the potential area for new plantings.

This article will describe the main ways to destroy the roots and stumps of trees, and step-by-step instructions for mechanical and chemical removal of wood residues will help clear the garden of old stumps. nine0003

Contents:

  1. Why tree roots need to be removed
  2. Preparation for destruction of tree roots
  3. Methods for removing tree roots
    1. Mechanical uprooting
    2. Chemical removal of tree roots
  4. How to remove roots yourself
    1. Safety when removing roots and stumps

Why tree roots need to be removed

Removing an old stump has not only aesthetic but also practical value. As a rule, they appear on the site after the old tree has already been cut down and disposed of. Just removing a tree from the site is easy, while removing its overgrown roots and large stump is much more difficult. Many people use the old proven mechanical uprooting, but there are a variety of chemicals on the modern horticultural market that make this process much easier.

See also: Do-it-yourself drip irrigation

If the root and part of the trunk do not bother you, you can turn it into a kind of garden decoration by planting flowers inside it or decorating it in any other way you like. However, there are times when destruction is not just a whim, but a necessity. This happens if the tree was cut down due to illness. If even a small part of it is left in the ground, it can become a source of infection for the rest of the trees in the garden. In addition, the remains of an old plant occupy a usable area, because in their place you can plant a young tree or shrub, which will bring a crop in the future. nine0003

Preparing to destroy the roots of trees

Before you start removing the roots, you should decide on the method you will use for this. Wood residues can be destroyed mechanically or chemically.

If you prefer to manually uproot part of the trunk, you will need a saw, a shovel and an axe. In this case, you will first have to dig a hole around the stump, chop or file its roots and gradually, piece by piece, remove the wood from the soil. nine0003

Note: The mechanical method is considered obsolete not only because of the high labor costs, but also because some large specimens are difficult to manually remove, and the remains can only be uprooted from the soil with the help of machinery.

The chemical method is considered more modern. The remains of wood are simply treated with a special preparation that accelerates the process of fiber destruction. As a result, in a short time, the remains of the trunk begin to crumble, and you just have to remove it. nine0003 Figure 1. Preparatory work

Depending on the chosen method, you will need some preparation (Figure 1). With mechanical removal, you need to dig a hole around the trunk in advance and prepare all the necessary tools, and in some cases, rent special equipment. If you opted for the chemical method, you will need to buy special treatment products, as well as prepare a spray gun and protective clothing.

Methods for removing tree roots

As mentioned above, roots and stumps can be destroyed mechanically and chemically. Since they are fundamentally different from each other, we will look at the features, advantages and disadvantages of each of them in more detail so that you can choose the right one for yourself.

Mechanical uprooting

This method is considered the oldest, since the process uses tools with which the roots are filed, and the stump is simply uprooted from the ground. A more modern mechanical method involves the involvement of heavy equipment (excavators, bulldozers or special pullers), but, unfortunately, not everyone can pay for the rental of such equipment. In addition, it is far from always possible for heavy equipment to enter the site. nine0003 Figure 2. Mechanical uprooting

If you don't want or can't use heavy equipment, you can also remove the stump manually. This will require some preparation. First, the remains of the plant must be freed from the surrounding earth by digging the soil with a shovel. Secondly, you need to prepare in advance the equipment with which the trunk will be removed from the ground (Figure 2).

Mechanical uprooting is carried out as follows:

  1. After the stump is freed from the soil, it must be tied with a cable attached to the winch. It is better to fasten the cable immediately under the saw cut so that it acts as a lever when tipping over. The winch can be tied to a regular car. nine0010
  2. If it is not possible to use a winch, the frame can be removed by cutting off the remains of the roots with an ax or cutting down with a saw.
  3. Once the trunk is free of lateral roots, it can be easily swung and removed.

This method is the cheapest, and with some effort, a large root can be uprooted in a day. However, this method is accompanied by significant labor costs. In addition, if you plan to carry out construction on this site, a mechanical removal method will not work for you, as the remnants of the roots may remain in the ground. nine0003

Chemical removal of tree roots

Chemical stump removal is simpler and more modern, although it has certain features. As a rule, saltpeter is used to destroy wood residues - a chemical with a powerful oxidizing effect, which quickly destroys not only the aerial part, but also the roots (Figure 3).

Removal of roots with saltpeter is carried out as follows:

  1. At the end of summer or beginning of autumn, several holes are drilled in the trunk. For this purpose, it is better to use the thickest drills so that the diameter of the holes is large. nine0010
  2. Potassium or sodium nitrate is poured into the holes obtained and poured with plenty of water. The liquid will dissolve the chemical and it will penetrate the wood fibers faster.
  3. The top of the trunk should be covered with pieces of wood or covered with foil, tightly tied to the trunk. This will prevent chemical vapors from escaping, and the destruction process will be more active.

Leave the stump prepared in this way until next summer. During this time, saltpeter will saturate not only the trunk, but also the roots. After that, you need to either pour a small amount of kerosene on the remains of the tree, or light a fire around the stump. The tree will begin to smolder, and all you have to do is remove its remains and dig up the site. nine0003

Note: It is important to consider that this method is not suitable for areas with peaty soil, since the roots soaked with saltpeter after ignition can cause a fire in the deep layers of the soil.

This method is good because it requires minimal physical effort, and all the remains of the tree will be completely removed. An exception can only be thick and deep-lying roots, but they will be destroyed so much that they will not be able to give young shoots. nine0003 Figure 3. Chemical destruction with saltpeter

But when using saltpeter, it should be borne in mind that in large quantities it negatively affects the fertility of the soil, so it will not be possible to grow fruit and vegetable crops in this area for several years.

How to remove the roots yourself

Another easy way to remove roots and stumps with your own hands is with the use of urea. This method is also considered chemical, but its advantage is that even large stumps can be removed quickly and with minimal labor. nine0003

Preparation of the barrel for removal is similar to the saltpeter method: large holes are drilled in the barrel, into which urea (urea) is poured. Each hole is filled with water, and the saw cut is tightly covered with a film. After 1-2 years, both the trunk and the roots remaining in the soil will completely rot and turn into fertile soil (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Chemical uprooting with urea

The main advantage of this method is considered to be low labor costs. But it should also be borne in mind that when using urea to remove stumps, all wood is destroyed: not only the trunk, but also the roots that go deep into the soil. In addition, after such treatment, the soil is not polluted with chemicals, remains fertile and suitable for growing other crops. Of the shortcomings, only a long period of stump removal can be distinguished: it can take 1-2 years to destroy large specimens, but if you want to maintain high soil quality and not make serious physical effort, this method will be the most suitable. nine0003

Safety when removing roots and stumps

When using any chemicals to destroy tree residue, safety rules must be strictly followed. First of all, for processing, you need to wear gloves and a protective suit. This requirement applies not only to saltpeter, but also to safer urea, which should also not be touched with bare hands.

In addition, it is better to carry out the treatment in early spring or autumn, after harvesting, since the fruits of crops growing near the treated stump cannot be eaten after treatment. nine0003

How to destroy the stump and roots of a felled tree

Clearing a new site, as well as cutting down old fruit trees, always involves the fact that stumps remain in the ground. It’s good if special equipment can be driven to this place, which will uproot them in no time. But what if the stump is located deep in the planted area or other trees or shrubs grow next to it?

I encountered a similar problem when we cut down an old apple tree that had perennial flower beds and a lawn around it. Full uprooting did not suit us, since overgrown roots, when pulled out, could destroy ornamental plants. nine0003

Contents of the article

Why remove stumps?

But really, why? There is a stump and it stands, you can even masterfully beat it in landscape design. I wanted to leave it, but they dissuaded me in time, citing a number of significant arguments:

In addition, the left stump will take up useful space on the site. I decided that it was better to work on the problem a little and remove an unnecessary element from the ground than to wait until the roots rot on their own. nine0003

Choosing a method

So, I decided on the need to remove the stump, it was up to the choice of method. To solve this problem, you can use physical (uprooting) or chemical (use of drugs) methods. It is they who will give the desired result and help get rid of both the stump and the overgrown roots of the sawn tree.

Of the chemicals used to destroy the stump and roots, urea and saltpeter are used. The latter works effectively, but it can adversely affect the composition of the soil, and as I said, I had a flower garden next to the apple tree. Urea is more useful for the garden, but carries with it a lot of nitrogen, which can greatly acidify the soil. I was afraid to use chemicals, so I turned to the uprooting method, and transplanted perennial flowers to another place where they successfully adapted over the season. nine0003

Uprooting

The quickest and easiest way is to call for special equipment, which will uproot all the stumps on the site in no time. But this method is possible only on empty lands, not yet fenced with fences and without beds, flower beds and garden paths. For me, the involvement of technology turned out to be an impossible task, I had to convene men and manage their physical strength.

After carefully transplanting perennials, I outlined the scope of work for my men:

  1. First, a half-meter circle around the stump is cleared from the soil. The earth is broken with a bayonet-shovel, and the shovel is thrown aside onto the bedded polyethylene. It is necessary to expose the entire stump and the main roots extending from it.
  2. Next, we dig out the roots diverging to the sides, releasing them from the ground. If it seems to you that the thickness of the root indicates that it will end soon - try to pull it or chop it off altogether. The small fragments remaining in the ground during decomposition will not greatly spoil the relief of the site. nine0010
  3. When most of the excavation work is completed, you can start uprooting. It will be ideal if you have a winch with which you pull the stump with the roots in the "up" direction. If it is not there, you will have to work hard: tie the rest of the trunk with two or three ropes, winding the ropes under large roots in order to fix well. After that, the ends of the ropes are parted on different sides, and the stump swings back and forth until you succeed and extract it along with the roots. nine0010

The upper root system can be opened in a less time-consuming, but more "dirty" way - with a hose. This method shows itself especially well on sandy soils, which are easily washed away by a powerful jet of water. To drain dirty streams, it is advisable to dig a hole in a free place nearby. After the earth dries up, you can proceed directly to uprooting.

Urea

If the time-consuming method of removing the stump from a cut tree does not suit you, you can try the urea method. To do this, you need to arm yourself with a puncher or a drill with large diameter drills. The tool needs to drill as many vertical holes as possible in the stump, into which urea is poured. nine0003

After that, the stump should be watered little by little throughout the day so that the urea crystals dissolve and go through the tissues of the underground part of the felled tree. Then you need to take a cut of a dense black film, wrap the stump with it and fix it with tape.

This is not a quick way to destroy the stump and roots of felled trees - the process of destruction and decomposition will take 1-2 years, and all this time an unaesthetic composition will stand on the site. But in the end you will have a place fertilized with nitrogen and decaying wood. nine0003

Saltpeter

This chemical will help you get rid of the unwanted stump and its roots, but it is quite dangerous for crops growing closer than 1.5 to the work site. If there are fruit trees and shrubs next to the sawn tree, or perennial crops grow, it is better to abandon this idea.

The work algorithm is similar to the method described above: the stump is drilled with vertical holes, potash or sodium nitrate is poured into them (approximately 2 kg per tree with a diameter of up to 15 cm). In order for the wood to be impregnated with chemicals, it must be carefully spilled several times with water, and then wrapped in polyethylene and tightly bandaged. In this state, the stump remains until the next season: during this time, the saltpeter will kill the roots and artificially dry the wood. nine0003

The next year, all you have to do is build a fire around the stump and wait for everything to burn out. To speed up the “setting” of wood by fire, you can pre-drill new holes and pour gasoline or lighter fluid into them.

This method is well suited for the destruction of stumps of freshly cut trees prone to the formation of undergrowth - sea buckthorn, poplar, etc. Pickled immediately after felling, the residue will free you from additional trouble. It is also worth noting that the method based on the ignition of saltpeter should absolutely not be used in areas with peat deposits - smoldering roots will lead to underground fires. nine0003

You will learn how to destroy the roots of felled trees using saltpeter in a video:

Other ways

There are other ways to get rid of stumps or use them effectively on the site:

  1. Planting a young tree in a stump . The rest of the trunk is sawn off at ground level, then a “landing pit” is organized in the center using tools that are suitable for the root system of the young growth. The recess is filled with nutrient soil, in which a small seedling of a fruit tree is planted. As it grows, it will feed on the decaying roots of the sawn tree. nine0010
  2. Filling with water before winter. It is necessary to drill several holes in the stump, into which water is poured before the first frost. If you have the opportunity to come to the site in early winter, continue to water the rest of the sawn tree with water, as if “glazing” it. The ice formed inside the wood will destroy it, and in the spring you will only have to manually remove the rotten stump.
  3. Table salt. This method is suitable for eliminating overgrowth in places that you do not plan to use in the coming years for planting crops. The average stump takes about 300 grams of salt, which must be poured into the drilled holes in the wood, and then spilled with water. After wintering, the rotten part is removed, and the remains are covered with earth. nine0010
  4. Herbicides. Apply a herbicide solution to a fresh saw cut, wrap the stump in polyethylene and leave it for the winter. In the new season, you can easily remove dead residues from the site.

You can use hemp as a bed for mushrooms, especially since you can buy spores for mycelium at an affordable price in garden stores, and you can find instructions for growing mushrooms and oyster mushrooms on the Internet. A year after laying the mycelium, you will be able to harvest a bountiful harvest right on the site. nine0003

Total

In order to get rid of the stumps of felled trees along with the roots, you can use several methods:

  1. Mechanized uprooting. In the presence of a convenient entrance for special equipment and the absence of closely growing crops, it is best to use the services of a tractor driver or bulldozer operator.

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