If you have a tree stump in your garden that is sprouting again, you have to kill it or it will keep growing. A half dead stump of a tree is an ugly obstacle to look at that won't go away on its own. There are many methods of killing it: you can wet it with a saline solution, burn it, constantly deprive it of sunlight, or cut it into pieces. Once killed, you can remove the stump and fill the hole.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Use Epsom Salts or Rock Salt
Step 1. Get some Epsom salt or rock salt
This is the simplest and cheapest method of getting rid of a tree stump. When you decide to rely on this technique, you need to anticipate that it will take several months for the strain to die, so it may not be the best choice if you are in a hurry.
- Do not use regular table salt, as it is dangerous for the surrounding soil. Use only 100% pure Epsom salt or rock salt with no added ingredients. This way you are sure that the soil around the stump is not altered.
- If it's a particularly stubborn tree residue, you can also try a chemical or herbicide that contains glyphosate or triclopyr instead of salts. Although a chemical herbicide works faster, remember that it could also kill the roots of nearby trees and shrubs.
Step 2. Drill holes in the log
Make neat holes all over the surface of the stub so that the solution penetrates. The holes should be 1.5-2.5cm in diameter and a minimum depth of 20cm, even better 30cm if you have long enough drill bits. If the solution penetrates deep into the tree stump, it is able to reach and impregnate the roots.
- If you don't have such long points, use a hatchet to make gaps in the wood and try to make them as deep as possible.
- If the stump has many roots protruding from the soil surface, drill them too.
Step 3. Fill each hole with pressed salt and apply a wax seal
Try to fill each hole for ¾ of the capacity with Epsom salt or rock salt and don't forget the holes you made in the exposed roots. At this point you need to light an odorless candle and let the melted wax fall into the holes to close them.
It is very important that the salt is closed in the stump and that it does not disperse in the garden, as too much salt could damage the soil and the roots of other plants
Step 4. Cover the stump
Use a plastic tarp, garbage bag, or other non-porous material to cover the stump. This will die quicker without the nourishment provided by sunlight and rain which favors the growth of new shoots. The strain is expected to die after about six weeks, but it may take several months. Check the situation from time to time to assess progress. Once dead, the stub should start to break apart on its own.
Method 2 of 4: Protect the stump from the sun
Step 1. Cover it
This method is cost-free, but it is time-consuming. The concept is to slowly kill the tree stump by denying it basic needs. Cover it with a dark cloth or a garbage bag so it doesn't get sun or water.
Step 2. Wait three to six months
During this time the stump will slowly die. Check the situation from time to time to see how it is progressing. The stump should start to rot and crack.
- As the stump dies and rots, you can use a chemical to speed up the process. You can find it in garden centers and nurseries.
- You can also add Epsom salt to the cracks that open in the wood or refer to the first method to drill holes to fill with salt. All this speeds up the process.
Step 3. Cut any twigs
Covering the stump should prevent anything from growing, but as long as it lives, you can remove the twigs that sprout at the base as they sprout or apply a killing substance that contains triclopyr. If, on the other hand, the goal is to let a new tree grow, cut off unnecessary twigs and do not apply herbicide.
Method 3 of 4: Burn the Log
Step 1. Drill holes in the stub
Do a lot of them over the entire surface of the stump. They should have a diameter between 1.5 and 2.5 cm with a minimum depth of 20 cm, even better if 30 cm (if you have a long enough drill bit). Very deep holes ensure that the flames reach even the tips of the roots.
Step 2. Pour kerosene into the holes
If the wood is impregnated with flammable liquid it will burn better to ash. Make sure all the stump is soaked, otherwise the fire may go out before it reaches the root tips.
- Another option is to place some charcoal on the stump and light the fire. The charcoal will slowly burn the logs. This method will allow you to prevent nearby plants from burning too.
- If you are concerned that nearby objects may catch fire, you should not use this method. You are about to set the log on fire, and while it is an effective technique, it is a somewhat dangerous procedure if you do not have a lot of safety space around the stump of the tree.
- Check Council ordinances to make sure what you are about to do is legal. Call the fire department if you need more information.
Step 3. Arrange the wood on top of the log
Put some scrap wood and add some devil to set it on fire. As the flames are reduced, the log will catch fire thanks to the kerosene. Check the whole process carefully to make sure the stump ignites, add more wood if necessary to feed the bonfire.
- Keep the fire under control until only the ashes remain. Never leave it unattended in case the flames become uncontrollable.
- It may take several hours, depending on the size of the stump.
Step 4. Remove the ash and fill the hole
Use a shovel to remove all the combustion residues up to where the roots were and then add fresh potting soil.
Method 4 of 4: Splitting the Log
Step 1. Get a stump machine
It is a tool that you can rent in hardware stores or garden stores; it consists of a rotating blade that penetrates the tree stump and grinds it until it is level with the ground. This is a great method if you are dealing with a large strain that is difficult to get rid of. Renting remains the cheapest and most practical solution, but if you have to eliminate a lot of strains, consider purchasing one.
- Don't forget to buy safety equipment as well. Glasses and a mask are indispensable for repairing the face and eyes from sawdust and splinters.
- If you don't like working with big machines, call an experienced gardener and explain your problem to him. You can safely pay someone else to do the work for you.
Step 2. Cut the stump very close to the ground
Use a power saw to level it only a few inches above the ground. Remove any branches or roots that stick out of the ground so that the stump grinder has a flat surface to work on.
Step 3. Chop the stump
Put on your goggles and mask and place the stump grinder over the stump. At this point, follow the manufacturer's instructions and move the tool over the entire surface of the trunk to break it into fragments. Keep working in this way even on the exposed roots until the entire stump is ground.
- Be very careful not to put your feet in the line of motion of the machine. Wear safety boots to avoid accidentally injuring yourself.
- Make sure children and pets stay a safe distance while using the stump grinder.
Step 4. Shovel away all the shavings and fill the hole with dirt
Remove and dispose of all the wood fragments (or use them as mulch) and finally fill the hole.
You may need to use an ax to get rid of root debris
Advice
You can purchase paints and dyes to mix with herbicides before they are applied. These make the herbicide visible and allow you to identify the areas that you have not treated and those already abundantly sprayed with the product, at the same time reducing the risk of contaminating the plants you want to keep
Warnings
- Even if the roots are not grafted, they could still release chemicals into the soil via the root system and at this point the surrounding live plants could also absorb them.
- If new shoots appear after milling the stump, you will need to take extra precautions because some resistant trees can be reborn even from small stumps.
- Trees that grow close together, especially if they are of the same species, develop a common root system and often share some of the lymphatic tissue. This process is called root grafting. If this were the case for you, know that a weed applied to the stump could transfer to a live plant.
