Generally, the aging, diseased, dying, damaged, and fallen trees, stumps, and branches are dangerous for human life, environment, and property. So, it is essential to be removed immediately. For this reason many lives have been endangered. So, trees and its stums removal becomes necessary for the sake of human safety.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about stump rot and stump removal.
How to get rid of the stump
When a tree dies in its natural environment, it takes three to seven years to decompose. The time varies depending on the environment and if the tree is hard or softwood.
Local climatic factors control the time it takes to decompose. Moisture and moisture content is essential for rapid decomposition.
Trees are generally cut down, leaving a stump at approximately waist height. These present a nasty problem. Cutting the stump at ground level goes a long way toward solving this problem. But the remains have yet to be tended to.
The options are to quit; hire a stump grinder; burn it or find a way to rot it as quickly as possible.
Tree stumps may not pose a particular problem and can happily be left alone to finish the decay process.
However, in-home environments, this is neither practical nor safe. The tree can continue to grow or take out suckers that will become invasive in the garden. Trees and fallen branches can become difficult obstacles.
In smaller areas like backyards and gardens, the landscape should be hazard-free and user-friendly. Farmers must remove trees and stumps when they build fences, and the local government must keep the public environment safe as well.
If you are very creative, you may be able to turn the tree stump into a nice seat or surface for an outdoor table.
Burning the stump
To remove the stumps, it is a great method. But, sometimes, Burning the stump presents some environmental problems. Fire smoke is unpleasant and will affect everyone. The fire may need to burn for days.
Fire can penetrate underground at the roots and become very difficult to control. Fire can get out of control and spread to nearby trees and buildings. There are better methods to remove the stump.
Stump Grinding process
Crushing a stump is difficult as the grinding machinery is heavy and expensive. This is because stump grinder machines operated by means of a high-speed disc with teeth that grinds the stump and roots into small chips. This is a quick option for stump removal and will take care of the problem and your money
Another way, hiring a professional tree service that is good at crushing stumps and removing stumps.
How to use a chemical tree stump remover
Most of the products available use potassium nitrate, while others contain alkalis that break down wood lignin or enzymes that thin cell walls.
Lignin is the property of wood cells that gives it its rigidity.
Apply chemical stump killers to cut fresh stumps from fall through winter. Reapply chemicals every one to two weeks,
or as often as the label recommends. As always, when handling chemicals, be aware of the risks, read all instructions carefully, and use all recommended safety equipment.
Once the tree removal is complete, get your drill down with a large drill bit and drill several holes in the wood at the top and sides of the stump down to ground level.
Pour the chemical into the holes, making sure it penetrates as deep into the tree as possible. Dampen the entire stump, preferably with hot water, trying not to dilute the chemical too much. Cover with a tarp that is loaded and wait.
This process is not fast. Every two weeks, check on progress and add water if the tree stump has dried out. When the wood becomes soft and fluffy, the job is done.
Most chemical stump removers are made with potassium nitrate.
The high nitrogen content accelerates the decomposition process. Natural sources of nitrogen include manure, blood meal, and compost.
Natural alternatives to potassium nitrate are Epsom salt and rock salt. The salts dry out the soil, depriving the stump of food. The salts also dry out the wood, speeding up the decomposition process.
If the tree is alive, the job is much more difficult. You must first kill the tree. Depriving the tree of sunlight and moisture will help this process. Cover the tree stumps with manure and compost and a dark tarp for a few weeks.
Signs of stump rot
When it comes to stump rot, there are a few signs to look out for when it would be easier to remove the stump. Some of these signs include:
Mushroom-like growth on the stump. If the tree stump looks “fuzzy” or shows signs of grayish fungus-like growth on the top and bark of the stump, this is a clear indication of stump rot.
The stump is moist and smooth to the touch. If the tree stump is softer to the touch, mushy in some areas, or “fluffy,” the stump rot is taking hold.
Signs of pests or pests present on the stump. If there are a large number of insects living on the stump, this is a clear sign of stump rot. While healthy trees and tree stumps will have some insects, a rotten stump is likely infested.
Once you know that your tree stump has rotted, you can begin the removal process. A rotten tree stump is much easier to remove than a stump that is still healthy or is sprouting new trees.
Remove Rotten Stump
Now that the tree stump is softer and showing signs of rot, the removal job becomes a little easier. Digging is the easiest option if you back it up.
Remove as much of the softwood from the top of the stump as possible and dig around the stump to get rid of roots.
Cut the roots off the stump with an axe and then follow them as far as you can with a hoe and remove them from the ground.
Once the roots are gone, you can consider burning the rest. If the tree stump is completely dead, this won’t take long. After removing all the wood, fill the resulting hole with soil, prepare for cultivation, or plant the lawn area.
Final thoughts
When it comes to stump rot and removal of a rotten tree stump, it is best to wait until the stump is completely rotten before attempting to remove it. Not only will the removal process be faster, but you may not need large and expensive tools, like a stump grinder, to get the job done.