Have you ever tried getting rid of an old tree stump only to be left, well,stumped?
(Sorry, sorry.)
Luckily, theres also no shortage of solutions for you to get the job done.
The best method to get rid of a tree stump depends on your timeline.
Left alone, most stumps will take years to naturally rot and decompose.
There are several home remedies that will accelerate that timeline to a few weeks or months.
Epsom salt contains magnesium and sulfur, which are beneficial to plants but deadly in large quantities.
Make each hole go as deep as you’re able to.
Pour Epsom salt directly into the drilled holes, filling them to the top.
Add enough water to the holes to moisten the salt.
Do it slowly so that the salt doesnt overflow.
Repeat this process every few weeks to ensure its success.
When done right, the stump will die within two to three months.
Spread a generous amount of rock salt atop the stump and all along the ground around the stump.
Then, pour water over the mulch and surrounding area.
Really water the salt into the soil until you dont see any crystals remaining.
This will dissolve the salt, help the roots absorb the solution, and pack the soil.
Finally, apply another band of salt on the ground around the stump for fully kill the roots.
Dig around the stump to make it expose as much of the root system as you might.
Pour boiling water to kill the root system.
Once the stump and roots are dead, the natural decomposition process can begin.
Plastic Bag or Tarp
The simplest strategy: Condemn your tree stump to darkness.
Cover the stump with a black trash bag or tarp.
Weigh the bag down with heavy rocks or bricks.
Rotting should start to take place in two to three months.
Plus, its going to be quite the workout for whoever is doing the digging.
Dig around the stump, exposing as many roots as possible.
Chop through roots as they get exposed.
Use a chainsaw, hatchet, or handsaw to cut the larger roots.
Continue working downward and inward from all sides toward the core of the stump.
Burning
Compared to digging, burning out the stump doesnt tackle the roots below soil level.
Extend a working garden hose that can quickly extinguish any flames outside the designated area.
The dangers outweigh the benefits.
Build a fireoverthe exposed top of the stump.
Add more wood to keep the fire going as necessary.
To accelerate the process, improve airflow by digging soil away from the base of the stump.
Monitor the stump until all the wood has been reduced to ash.
When youre done burning the stump, place the ash and burned pieces in a fire-safe container or bucket.
Grinding
This is the go-to method if you have the right tools.
Remember to wipe the area of any obstacles, like rocks, or children.
This process can take anywhere from two to six hours depending on the size of the stump.
Instead, you risk a fire situation that is not effective, but is still dangerous.
Motor oil: Same deal as diesel.
And as we said at the top, you might always use natural solutions like Epsom or rock salt.
