I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an
awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving
stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's
inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand-
held).

Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over
years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't
really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on
top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that maybe I
could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining timber over
a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first) to encourage it
to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good to use, that
wouldn't just evaporate off?

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump below
ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that would be
fine!

Or any other constructive ideas!?

--
David

Lobster wrote:
I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's
in an awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded
by paving stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig
out. It's inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe
something hand- held).

Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times
(over years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump
doesn't really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got
quite dished on top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it
occurred to me that maybe I could try again this summer but first
impregnate the remaining timber over a period of time (maybe
honeycombing it with a drill first) to encourage it to burn properly.
Anyone tried this? What would be good to use, that wouldn't just
evaporate off?


living wood won't burn like this, there's way too much water content for any
kind of acclerant to have any effect.
If it's dished, holding water will help rot it away, but over a long period
of time.
You might want to get some deep cuts in it, either with a chainsaw or by
hand to speed things along, a sledge axe will help but will posibly get
jammed.

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump
below ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that
would be fine!

Or any other constructive ideas!?

Raise the ground around it and put planters over the larger raised area

On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:41:34 GMT, Lobster
wrote:

I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of.

I think saltpetre (potassium nitrate) is the stuff to use. If you
drill a vertical hole into the wood and pack it full of saltpetre, the
rain water will dissolve it and it will eventually permeate the wood.

This will encourage the wood to rot, as it supplies a source of
nitrogen for bacteria, and will also make the stump easier to burn as
it is an oxidiser.

It's not a quick solution though.

On 22/03/2014 17:41, Lobster wrote:
I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an
awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving
stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's
inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand-
held).

Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over
years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't
really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on
top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that maybe I
could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining timber over
a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first) to encourage it
to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good to use, that
wouldn't just evaporate off?

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump below
ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that would be
fine!

Or any other constructive ideas!?




I'm not sure I understand why you can't just saw it off at ground level.
You could then put a paving slab on it (to create a form of shallow
plinth) and add the plant tub you mention.

You could stretch this idea to drilling holes in the flush stump and
pouring SBK in them before placing the slab plinth. That way it will
rot away out of site and be safe for passing animals and children.
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

"Lobster" wrote in message
. 222...
I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an
awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving
stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's
inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand-
held).

Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over
years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't
really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on
top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that maybe I
could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining timber over
a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first) to encourage
it
to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good to use, that
wouldn't just evaporate off?

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump below
ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that would be
fine!

Or any other constructive ideas!?


You can buy a fungus to infect it with.
Gets rid of most stumps (by rotting) in a couple of years.
Forestry people use it.

On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:41:34 +0000, Lobster wrote:

I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in
an awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by
paving stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out.
It's inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something
hand- held).

Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over
years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't
really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished
on top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that
maybe I could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining
timber over a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first)
to encourage it to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good
to use, that wouldn't just evaporate off?

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump
below ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that
would be fine!

Or any other constructive ideas!?

Probably no need to wait until summer.

Possibly try a more serious fire instead of just heaping coals?

If you build a temporary wall around it using old bricks, blocks and stuff
you turn it into a fire pit.

Then light a fire around the stump and keep feeding it for a few hours.

Once you get a really high temperature the stump should begin to char away
- but it will take time because the charcoal protects the wood underneath.

Keep poking the stump with an iron bar or similar to break off the
charcoal and this will both feed the fire and expose more wood.

It may take several attempts, but if you persevere say over a couple of
weeks you should be able to burn the stump down below ground level.

Then again, one good steady fire could shift it.

Cheers

Dave R

On 22/03/2014 17:41, Lobster wrote:
I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an
awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving
stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's
inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand-
held).

Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over
years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't
really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on
top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that maybe I
could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining timber over
a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first) to encourage it
to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good to use, that
wouldn't just evaporate off?

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump below
ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that would be
fine!

Or any other constructive ideas!?


Why not try hollowing it out and using it as the plant tub, this will in
time help it to rot.
If you had left 4 or 5ft of the trunk then it would have made digging it
out an easier job as you would have had a good leaver.
Alternately why not dig down about a foot then get someone with a chain
saw to saw it off below the ground level you want, a 5 minute job for
the saw.

On 3/22/2014 1:52 PM, Phil L wrote:

Raise the ground around it and put planters over the larger raised area

That works.
I've built low stone walls, then filled them with soil and plants. The
stumps eventually rot away, encouraged by a number of holes drilled into
them before burial.

On 22/03/14 17:41, Lobster wrote:
I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an
awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving
stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's
inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand-
held).

Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over
years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't
really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on
top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that maybe I
could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining timber over
a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first) to encourage it
to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good to use, that
wouldn't just evaporate off?

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump below
ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that would be
fine!

Or any other constructive ideas!?

drill lots of holes in it
[g]

On 22/03/2014 17:41, Lobster wrote:
I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an
awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving
stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's
inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand-
held).

Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over
years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't
really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on
top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that maybe I
could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining timber over
a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first) to encourage it
to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good to use, that
wouldn't just evaporate off?

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump below
ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that would be
fine!

Or any other constructive ideas!?

You can get angle grinder disks which are similar to a proper stump
grinder, basically a ring of chain-saw chain wrapped round a hub.
Sometimes used for "carving".

Drill a lot of parallel deep holes with a big (say 25 mm) auger to
remove a large proportion of the material?

I have used a 1 inch chisel in a 4 kg SDS drill to attack similar things
in the past.

As another poster said, saltpetre (potassium nitrate) is a good
oxidising agent if you can saturate the stump with it before applying
fire. Potassium permanganate is another possibility, perhaps easier to
obtain. When trying to purchase such things in kilogram quantities,
suggest blacking up, put on false beard, and speak with funny accent. (Not).

In message ,
newshound writes
As another poster said, saltpetre (potassium nitrate) is a good
oxidising agent if you can saturate the stump with it before applying
fire. Potassium permanganate is another possibility, perhaps easier to
obtain. When trying to purchase such things in kilogram quantities,
suggest blacking up, put on false beard, and speak with funny accent.
(Not).

I recently had a need to produce lots of smoke and Potassium Nitrate was
easily and cheaply available from suppliers on Ebay.

As far a removing stumps, I drilled lots of 1" dia holes about 6" into a
12" dia stump a few years ago and filled with Pot' Nitrate. I all but
forgot about it for 3 or 4 years and when I went back to it it just
pulled out of the ground , having rotted below the surface.
--
Bill

On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:41:34 GMT, Lobster wrote:

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump
below ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that
would be fine!

So just buy a cheap pack of three crosscut hand saws and set to with
the saws, or attack it with a splitting axe or just drive a 2" wide
bolster chisel into it an inch from the edge, split lumps off it and
work yoru way across. Might need some extra cold chisels as wedges or
get a log splitting grenade. Just takes a bit of physical effort.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 22/03/2014 22:31, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:41:34 GMT, Lobster wrote:

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump
below ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that
would be fine!

So just buy a cheap pack of three crosscut hand saws and set to with
the saws, or attack it with a splitting axe or just drive a 2" wide
bolster chisel into it an inch from the edge, split lumps off it and
work yoru way across. Might need some extra cold chisels as wedges or
get a log splitting grenade. Just takes a bit of physical effort.



Why all the fuss, it's only 15 inches across, playing with an angle
grinder with "thin metal" disc for half an hour would make it look silly.
It's not like it's a 3ft Oak stump.

On 22/03/2014 17:41, Lobster wrote:
I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an
awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving
stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's
inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand-
held).

Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over
years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't
really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on
top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that maybe I
could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining timber over
a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first) to encourage it
to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good to use, that
wouldn't just evaporate off?

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump below
ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that would be
fine!

Or any other constructive ideas!?

I would cut it off flush with a green wood blade in a reciprocating saw.
The turn it into a swiss cheese on top with an auger bit. At which point
there are various options for the last stage including many of those
mentioned above, as well as the attention of a big roofing blow torch to
char it, clean off the charred bit with SDS chisel or arbortech disk in
an angle grinder. The repeat a couple of times until its low enough.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Spider wrote:
On 22/03/2014 17:41, Lobster wrote:
I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an
awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving
stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's
inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand-
held).

Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over
years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't
really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on
top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that
maybe I
could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining timber
over
a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first) to
encourage it
to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good to use, that
wouldn't just evaporate off?

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump below
ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that would be
fine!

Or any other constructive ideas!?




I'm not sure I understand why you can't just saw it off at ground level.
You could then put a paving slab on it (to create a form of shallow
plinth) and add the plant tub you mention.

You could stretch this idea to drilling holes in the flush stump and
pouring SBK in them before placing the slab plinth. That way it will
rot away out of site and be safe for passing animals and children.


SBK
SBK Superbike (racing motorbikes)
SBK Svenska Brukshundklubben
SBK Snowboard Kids (gaming)
SBK Stichting Bouwkwaliteit (Dutch)
SBK Short Bus Kids
SBK South Brooklyn Railway Company
SBK Single Below Knee (amputation)

On Saturday, March 22, 2014 5:41:34 PM UTC, Lobster wrote:

I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an
awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving
stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's
inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand-
held).

You can break it up any way you like. If you've got something that can cut into it, albeit not far, at ground level, cut in, chop the overhang off with axe, repeat. Or cut across the top with circular saw and axe off. If you've got no effective power saw, auger drills are a workable way to remove bulk.


NT

On 22/03/14 17:41, Lobster wrote:
I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an
awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving
stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's
inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand-
held).

Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over
years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't
really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on
top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that maybe I
could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining timber over
a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first) to encourage it
to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good to use, that
wouldn't just evaporate off?

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump below
ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that would be
fine!

Or any other constructive ideas!?


Saltpeter. It (dead stump) smoulders nicely in an oxygen rich atmosphere
We had an old elm stump - going back 50+ years - and we were burning out
the ditch adjoining it. It caught fire, and we doused it, but the next
morning it had almost gone to ground level and in the next few days it
simply vanished underground. Could not put it out.

I did the same with a leylandii 15 years ago. Built a fire on top and
fed it and when it went out, no stump left.

so pour diesel or put candles on it or use old engine oil on it and get
a good blaze going that will draw in air.

It WILL burn.



--
Ineptocracy

(in-ep-toc-ra-cy) €“ a system of government where the least capable to
lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the
members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are
rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a
diminishing number of producers.

On Sun, 23 Mar 2014 13:24:48 +1100, F Murtz wrote:

You could stretch this idea to drilling holes in the flush stump and
pouring SBK in them before placing the slab plinth. That way it will
rot away out of site and be safe for passing animals and children.

SBK
SBK Superbike (racing motorbikes)
SBK Svenska Brukshundklubben
SBK Snowboard Kids (gaming)
SBK Stichting Bouwkwaliteit (Dutch)
SBK Short Bus Kids
SBK South Brooklyn Railway Company
SBK Single Below Knee (amputation)

There's this wonderful new invention called "context".
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=sbk+tree

I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an
awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving
stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's
inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand-
held).

Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over
years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't
really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on
top, but there's a lot more to go.

Don't waste your time and fuel. Just attack it first of all with a drill or
saw. I used an old blade in the circular saw crossing the top from all
directions, then finish it off with hammer and wood chisel. It only took me
a couple of hours chiselling spread over several sessions and it was gone.

Mike

On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 18:32:35 +0000, harryagain wrote:

You can buy a fungus to infect it with.
Gets rid of most stumps (by rotting) in a couple of years. Forestry
people use it.

I went for a walk in the forest and collected all kinds of rotten timber.
I put that on top of my tree stump, and after a few months it went rotten
and was easily chopped out with a pick axe.

On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:41:34 GMT, Lobster
wrote:

Or any other constructive ideas!?

The potassium nitrate suggestions, with Official Instructions:

http://www.spectracide.com/~/media/Spectracide/Files/Product%20Labels/Other/071121564207.ashx

(a PDF file for "Spectracide Stump Remover Granules", which is pot. nitrate)



Thomas Prufer

On 22/03/2014 17:41, Lobster wrote:
I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an
awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving
stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's
inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand-
held).

Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over
years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't
really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on
top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that maybe I
could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining timber over
a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first) to encourage it
to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good to use, that
wouldn't just evaporate off?

If you are serious then the only chance you stand and it is an outside
chance at that is to drill a large number of 1" holes into the top as
deep as you can and pack them with potassium nitrate fertiliser. Leave
for about a year refilling as necessary and then after the longest hot
dry spell you get build a fire on top and cross your fingers that the
impregnation of the nitrate is enough to make it smoulder away until
underground. It may still be too wet in which case you are stumped.

This sort of works but it also primes the wood for fungi to take hold
and I got a spectacular chicken of the woods on my former pear tree
stump. The ground where it was is still subsiding as the deeper roots
were not eliminated by this method. In the end I prized the last bits up
with a scaffold pole using an axe to cut the tap root. YMMV

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump below
ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that would be
fine!

Or any other constructive ideas!?

I'd tend to favour digging it out.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On 24/03/14 09:43, Martin Brown wrote:

I'd tend to favour digging it out.

or just hire a bloke with a stump grinder in and get instant satisfaction.

On 24/03/14 11:03, Martin wrote:
On Mon, 24 Mar 2014 11:00:24 +0000, Tim Watts wrote:

On 24/03/14 09:43, Martin Brown wrote:

I'd tend to favour digging it out.

or just hire a bloke with a stump grinder in and get instant satisfaction.


or a machine with a stump removing attachment that will pull out the whole thing
roots and all.


Must check those out...

Having destroyed lots of spade bits on a single stump, sometimes DIY is
not always the most straightforward course of action!

On Sun, 23 Mar 2014 13:24:48 +1100, F Murtz
wrote:



You could stretch this idea to drilling holes in the flush stump and
pouring SBK in them before placing the slab plinth. That way it will
rot away out of site and be safe for passing animals and children.


SBK
SBK Superbike (racing motorbikes)
SBK Svenska Brukshundklubben
SBK Snowboard Kids (gaming)
SBK Stichting Bouwkwaliteit (Dutch)
SBK Short Bus Kids
SBK South Brooklyn Railway Company
SBK Single Below Knee (amputation)

SBK Sarcastic Bugger Killfiled.

G.Harman

On 24/03/2014 11:25, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:41:34 +0000, Lobster wrote:

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump
below ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that
would be fine!

Or any other constructive ideas!?

Just a thought, thermite ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermite

Too fast and violent. A bit like throwing petrol on a bonfire.

The only method that stands a chance is to saturate the wet wood with
potassium nitrate and wait until it is the dryest day and then light a
bonfire on top. You need both dry wood and oxygen to make it burn.

With any luck it will smoulder away deep into the ground, perhaps with
the addition of some extra brushwood on top from time to time.

My burn attempts served only to hollow and weaken the large stump into
three manageable pieces that I could then crowbar out with scaffold
poles. Eventually they were dry enough to go in the wood burning stove.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On 23/03/2014 23:50, MattyF wrote:
On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 18:32:35 +0000, harryagain wrote:

You can buy a fungus to infect it with.
Gets rid of most stumps (by rotting) in a couple of years. Forestry
people use it.

I went for a walk in the forest and collected all kinds of rotten timber.
I put that on top of my tree stump, and after a few months it went rotten
and was easily chopped out with a pick axe.




I'm glad it worked for you. In principle, it's a good idea, but you
could have introduced Honey Fungus or other problems. I wouldn't
recommend it.
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On 24/03/2014 11:00, Tim Watts wrote:
On 24/03/14 09:43, Martin Brown wrote:

I'd tend to favour digging it out.

or just hire a bloke with a stump grinder in and get instant satisfaction.




The OP said there wasn't access for a stump grinder.

--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On 24/03/2014 11:25, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:41:34 +0000, Lobster wrote:

I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in
an awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by
paving stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out.
It's inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something
hand- held).

Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over
years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't
really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished
on top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that
maybe I could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining
timber over a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first)
to encourage it to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good
to use, that wouldn't just evaporate off?

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump
below ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that
would be fine!

Or any other constructive ideas!?

Just a thought, thermite ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermite




A *termite* would enjoy doing it, but then it would probably eat all the
wood in your house :-/

--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On Saturday, March 22, 2014 5:41:34 PM UTC, Lobster wrote:
I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's

probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an

awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving

stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's

inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand-

held).



Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over

years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't

really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on

top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that maybe I

could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining timber over

a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first) to encourage it

to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good to use, that

wouldn't just evaporate off?



I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump below

ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that would be

fine!



Or any other constructive ideas!?



--

David

Cylinder of liquid oxygen and a long pipe?

On Tuesday, March 25, 2014 11:48:05 AM UTC, Spider wrote:
On 23/03/2014 23:50, MattyF wrote:
On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 18:32:35 +0000, harryagain wrote:

You can buy a fungus to infect it with.
Gets rid of most stumps (by rotting) in a couple of years. Forestry
people use it.

I went for a walk in the forest and collected all kinds of rotten timber.
I put that on top of my tree stump, and after a few months it went rotten
and was easily chopped out with a pick axe.




I'm glad it worked for you. In principle, it's a good idea, but you
could have introduced Honey Fungus or other problems. I wouldn't
recommend it.

Possibly. In practise though, there's probably Honey Fungus (*) spores
already present in the garden. All he's done is increased the dose on
the stump. If there was a dying tree adjacent to the stump, bringing in
the rot might hasten it's end, but that's all.

(I am assuming that "the forest" is within a couple of miles, rather
than 50 miles away.)

*: Or whatever the NZ equivalent is.

On 25/03/2014 12:08, Martin wrote:
On Tue, 25 Mar 2014 11:48:05 +0000, Spider wrote:

On 23/03/2014 23:50, MattyF wrote:
On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 18:32:35 +0000, harryagain wrote:

You can buy a fungus to infect it with.
Gets rid of most stumps (by rotting) in a couple of years. Forestry
people use it.

I went for a walk in the forest and collected all kinds of rotten timber.
I put that on top of my tree stump, and after a few months it went rotten
and was easily chopped out with a pick axe.




I'm glad it worked for you. In principle, it's a good idea, but you
could have introduced Honey Fungus or other problems. I wouldn't
recommend it.

I refrained from mentioning Honey Fungus :-)



Until now. Copy cat. Nah nah nah nah nah :~)

--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On 25/03/2014 12:10, Martin wrote:
On Tue, 25 Mar 2014 11:53:52 +0000, Spider wrote:

On 24/03/2014 11:25, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:41:34 +0000, Lobster wrote:

I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in
an awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by
paving stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out.
It's inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something
hand- held).

Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over
years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't
really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished
on top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that
maybe I could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining
timber over a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first)
to encourage it to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good
to use, that wouldn't just evaporate off?

I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump
below ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that
would be fine!

Or any other constructive ideas!?

Just a thought, thermite ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermite




A *termite* would enjoy doing it, but then it would probably eat all the
wood in your house :-/

Thermite is a bit hotter than a termite. :-)




Is that because it swallowed an 'h' for hot? ;~)

--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On 25/03/2014 14:41, Martin wrote:
On Tue, 25 Mar 2014 14:10:14 +0000, Spider wrote:

Thermite is a bit hotter than a termite. :-)




Is that because it swallowed an 'h' for hot? ;~)

--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

Digging a hole? :-P




Well, I am a gardener. I'm allowed to do that ;~)

--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On 25/03/14 11:50, Spider wrote:
On 24/03/2014 11:00, Tim Watts wrote:
On 24/03/14 09:43, Martin Brown wrote:

I'd tend to favour digging it out.

or just hire a bloke with a stump grinder in and get instant
satisfaction.




The OP said there wasn't access for a stump grinder.


Sorry - missed that...

On 25/03/14 12:10, Martin wrote:

Thermite is a bit hotter than a termite. :-)


Unless you ask an irishman, then they are the same thing ;-

On Tue, 25 Mar 2014 06:05:09 -0700, Martin Bonner wrote:

On Tuesday, March 25, 2014 11:48:05 AM UTC, Spider wrote:
On 23/03/2014 23:50, MattyF wrote:
On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 18:32:35 +0000, harryagain wrote:

You can buy a fungus to infect it with.
Gets rid of most stumps (by rotting) in a couple of years. Forestry
people use it.

I went for a walk in the forest and collected all kinds of rotten
timber.
I put that on top of my tree stump, and after a few months it went
rotten and was easily chopped out with a pick axe.




I'm glad it worked for you. In principle, it's a good idea, but you
could have introduced Honey Fungus or other problems. I wouldn't
recommend it.

Possibly. In practise though, there's probably Honey Fungus (*) spores
already present in the garden. All he's done is increased the dose on
the stump. If there was a dying tree adjacent to the stump, bringing in
the rot might hasten it's end, but that's all.

(I am assuming that "the forest" is within a couple of miles, rather
than 50 miles away.)

The forest is 150 metres away, and also right at the back of my house. I
don't think we have Honey Fungus in New Zealand, but there will be
similar fungi. We are allowed to use the most dreadful of timber
treatments here, so Pinus Radiata lasts for many years in the ground.

On Tuesday, March 25, 2014 1:05:09 PM UTC, Martin Bonner wrote:
the rot might hasten it's end

Aaargh!!! That should be "its end" of course.

On Wed, 26 Mar 2014 06:54:13 -0700 (PDT), Martin Bonner
wrote:

On Tuesday, March 25, 2014 1:05:09 PM UTC, Martin Bonner wrote:
the rot might hasten it's end

Aaargh!!! That should be "its end" of course.

Don't worry. It gets easier with practice. :-)
--
Regards, J B Good

On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:41:34 GMT, Lobster
wrote:


Or any other constructive ideas!?

Drill deep 1" holes in it and fill them with Gromore or any other
granulated fertiliser. Stand back and light blue touchpaper... err,
wait a couple of years.