Peter Crosland wrote:

As others have indicated, it will quite likely sprout again from the
stump. Engine oil or even better diesel will kill the stump and help it
to eventually rot.

Oil will act as a preservative.


Does this even work for ash trees? I am trying to get rid of the
stump of a tenacious one.

You need to get the poison into the roots.

Drill a number of holes about six inches deep around the edge of the stump.
Pour SBK brushwood killer in the holes.

Reminds of the time back home in NZ when my father decided the rubber
tree had to go. Well after the fun of sitting in it with a chainsaw
removing large branches (pruning saw impossible to use). We got it down
to a stump about 1 foot off the ground. The idea to drill some holes and
pour poison in was mooted so muggins here gets the brace and bit out (I
kid you not) and drills about 8 such holes in the base of this stump.
Just as I finished a mate of my brother in law's dropped by with his
huge chainsaw (the blade was at least 1m long) and proceeded to cut it
down to ground level. My father did have to remove a few suckers but
after about a year no more came up (I was not about to drill more
holes).

Peter