How To Kill Tree Stumps Naturally
Do you have tree stump problems? Mr. Tree Service of Fairfield discuss how you can kill a tree stump naturally. However, you can also leave the stump removals to the professional tree service providers.
Natural Remedies to Kill Tree Stumps
Having a tree removed from your property is actually a two step process. When a tree is a danger to your property or humans, or if it is diseased beyond repair, you need to have the tree removed. The first step is the removal of the tree from the trunk up.
The second step is removing the stump. While you may be considering just leaving the stump alone, there are different reasons you should have it removed.
Is Removal Necessary?
There are some reasons that will benefit your landscape when you decide to have the stump removed:
- A stump that is removed makes for nicer lawn aesthetics and the eliminates a tripping hazard.
- Space in your yard is precious. There are better uses for the area than an unsightly stump. It makes more room for outdoor activities or opens up a space to plant another tree or add more flowers to your landscape.
- Water sprouts may pop up, which make an effort to keep the stump alive.
- Furthermore, the water sprouts can take nutrients from other plants near it.
- Last and certainly not least, stumps attracts insects that want to take up residence in the wood. They tend to spread, and can eventually work their way into your home.
Should You Hire a Tree Service or Remove the Stump Yourself?
There are pros and cons to removing a stump on your own. There aren’t too many cons when you have professionals do the work for you. Because they have the large equipment to do the job, the job will be complete in one day, and there is no use of chemicals in the process. A professional will know how to do the job efficiently, and how to handle problems that may arise.
The greatest pro for removing a stump yourself is the lower cost. But that is about it. If you rent a stump grinder, there are cons you will need to deal with. You need to learn how to use the equipment and know how to handle any obstacles that may make the task more difficult. When you aren’t practiced in removing stumps, you have the potential to over-extend your necessary grinding area, causing a mess in your yard that you will need to repair.
You may still choose to do the work on your own, and there are options to kill a remaining stump naturally instead of renting a machine for the job.
Natural Remedies
You can choose one of the following options to remove your stump. The biggest con of these methods is that they take time. A stump grinder will complete the removal in less than an hour in your average sized trees, whereas natural remedies often take months.
- Pouring hot water over the roots will stop their growth.
- You can use a saw or other suitable tool to remove as much of the top of the stump as possible. If your stump stands two feet above the soil, cutting it down as far as you can will cause it to decay more quickly. Be careful not to run your electric saw into the soil.
- Digging the stump out with shovels, axes and with your hands is an option, but it is a lot of physical work and takes a good amount of time.
- Pouring salt directly onto a stump will kill it. Smaller trees only need the one step of adding the salt. Larger trees need a greater amount of salt. Drill holes in the sides and middle section of the stump. When you add salt, it will work to kill the roots of the stump.
- Epsom salt can also kill a stump when using high quantities of it. You may have heard that it aids in plant growth, which is true, when used in smaller amounts. To use the salts to kill a stump, however, drill holes the same as you would with regular salt, only much deeper, around ten inches. Pour the Epsom salts mixed with water into the holes, and cover the stump with plastic or cloth. You can expect the stump to die in a few months.
- Possibly the slowest of the options, cover the stump with a cloth or plastic wrap. By blocking out the stump’s exposure to sunlight, you will slow down its ability to grow, and it will slowly die.
One More Suggestion
While the above natural methods will work in time, having a professional do the job for you is much quicker and knocks the task off of your to-do list in no time.
Having a tree removed from your property is actually a two step process. When a tree is a danger to your property or humans, or if it is diseased beyond repair, you need to have the tree removed. The first step is the removal of the tree from the trunk up.
The second step is removing the stump. While you may be considering just leaving the stump alone, there are different reasons you should have it removed.