something to dissolve roots

[paul hill]

I have a friend that had a 30-40 foot sumac tree partially blow over in a strong wind storm. When it did about half of the roots pulled up from the ground. I finished dropping the tree for him and did what I could for the upturned roots and stump. I'm looking for something that might dissolve or rot out the remaining roots and stump. I cut all I could without putting my chain in the dirt but there is still alot there. Can't get any equipment near it due to a block wall. Only other option is alot of digging. I'm not sure exactly what type of sumac it is but I could probably find out if it matters. Thanks for any ideas.

 

[Jay Banks]

Paul,
Find some one that can grind the stump down below the ground level. It shouldn't be to expensive.

 

[Stumper]

As Jay said-find someone with a stump grinder. Even if access is limited there are machines for the job(I've actuall ground out a stump indoors!). There are chemical products(usually Potassium nitrate) that accellerate decay but the marketers play pretty loose with the truth. Adding the stump remover means that what would have taken 15-20 years to rot away will only take 7-10.

 

[paul hill]

Thanks for the info. I'll let him know. We had heard or something that worked in 6-12 months but I was a little sceptical especially on such a good size stump.

 

[tshanefreeman]

The stronger the concentration of the chemical used to accelorate the rotting/decaying process the more harmful the implications on the surrounding environment. Chemicals that are put on in excess to speed the process can leach away and damage other non-target root systems or even enter a water table. The concept is much like baking cookies.........the instructions call for 10 minutes at 200 degrees........so why not 5 minutes at 400 degress...........it just doesn't work and the results can be devistating.

I would advice any mechanical method of removal, even if it is to manually dig the system up. The results are achieve in a much shorter amount of time and they are environmentally safe (as long as one doesn't consider soil disturbance as a factor!).

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Most of these products are actualy fertilizes that the fungus love.

There are a few liginofagic products out there that will break down wood structire, but they need constant reapplication, they still only accelerat the biotic activites.

The most decay resistant part of a tree is tha basal area, and some large stumps can exist for decades.

As others have said the fastest and most economical way to get rid of a stump is to hav it ground out by someone with a big machine.

Or Reed holt and freind with a little HE.

 

[paul hill]

Thanks guys for the info. I think any chemicals harsh enough to break down the stump would definately damage the other trees in the yard. Didn't even think about that until you mentioned it. I'm out of the project now, it's all up to him and I think he will opt for the slow and difficult process of digging. Thanks again for sharing your knowlege and experience.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

If long and slow is ok, then drilling holes, filling with fertilized and maintaining moisture will drasitcly increase decomposition

Just the moisture and increased surface area will help. Nitrates are the second greatest limiting factor, so regular application of a liquid fert helps too.

I've read that taking grass clippings and soaking them isn water will produce bacteria that will break down the wood structure too, evey week you take a large bucket soak the clipping s and drain it on the stump with the holes drilled in, or grooves cut with a saw.

you just got to soak the clippings till they start to reek.

 

[Stumper]

The grass clippings idea is interesting. Of course even if it is effective it will involve more total work than grinding out the stump.

 

[Wulkowicz]

Originally posted by Jay Banks
Paul,
Find some one that can grind the stump down below the ground level. It shouldn't be too expensive.

<hr>

How about a little reverse thinking here. Why do we have to take it all down beneath the surface; because it's roots?

Apparently, you've cut it as close as you could to the ground without damaging your saw, so I'd lay some geoetextile material (landscape filter fabric) over the entire unwanted area and use that area above the fabric as a new compost pile.

Any bumpiness stays hidden beneath the fabric, and the height of the pile covers anything slightly above grade. The tree residues stay below, and most attempted sucker growth gets stymied without any effort on anyone's part, and the fabric allows drainage with a lower likelyhood of smells while composting.

The cost? How many square yards of fabric? A few bucks? Make a decorative containment, and voila, a work-free zone with environmentally correct overtones.

Turn things upside down as you think out the problems. Most everything works in reciprocals just as well as in the usual considerations. Exercise your brain, defeat the sumac, pay no one else any money, and let the tree take as long as it wants to decompose. You can add chemicals if you want, but in essence you're only making a new compost pile. There just happens to be a tree beneath, but neither you, nor the decomposer flora and fauna will care.

Out of site, out of mind.


Bob Wulkowicz

 

[Treeman14]

I don't care what these guys say about you, Bob, I like the way you think. Step out of the box, right?

 

[Wulkowicz]

Originally posted by Treeman14
I don't care what these guys say about you, Bob, I like the way you think. Step out of the box, right?

<hr>

Mostly, I fall out of the box, but I don't say anything about how I got there. After a while, they give me the credit.

Who am I to complain?

<IMG SRC="http://webboard.isa-arbor.com:8080/upload/natformanag.gif">



Old Bob W.

<br>

 

[Jay Banks]

Well Bob that's exactly my thinking, I had a 30" Oak taken down to the ground and then turned it into a mulched landscape bed.

Sometimes when we offer solutions here (at least I do) I try to keep it simple. Grinding is the quickest way for some folks.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I'll always give the customer the option of making it into a potstand.

One more cut i dont have to make.

 

[Jay Banks]

I've seen some fancy sculptures too!