Conifer stumps

I have recently had a number of conifers felled, leaving the stumps in the ground. Do I need to do anything to kill off the stumps and cause them to rot, or will this happen naturally anyway? If so, how long is it likely to take? I have investigated stump killing products like SBK, but don't like the idea of using these products for fear of affecting plants in my nearby vegetable garden and flower bed. If the stumps would rot naturally in a few years, this would be OK. If not, how safe are the stump killing products to use, bearing in mind we will be eating the vegetables? The stumps are about 6 inches in diameter and cut down to a couple of inches above ground level.

 

As Lisa has said, Honey fungus is the big danger with leaving stumps in the ground. Winching or digging out is also made a lot easier if a length of bole, say 2-3 ft. above ground level, is left on the stumps as it helps with attaching chains or levering them out. You can dig them out though. The roots are fairly shallow and all you do is trench round the stump untill you find a lage root, axe through it then continue right round the base of the tree. Once all the main roots are severed you then dig under the root crown to access and sever any tap roots. Once the stump is out you can then dig back following the roots to remove them as well if the ground is required for other purposes.

Here's one I did earlier! Nice warm job for a cold winter's day :D

[ 30. January 2006, 01:12 AM: Message edited by: frogesque ]

 

:D @ Lisa

 

Don't know much about honey fungus. Is it likely to be a problem in a garden surrounded by half a dozen houses and then open fields? Doesn't it need to spread from somewhere fairly close? And if it were to occur, how far would it spread from the conifers into the rest of the garden?

 

It's not that difficult to dig out stumps this size if you're fit ish; with a grub axe, bar & an attitude (and a spade).

 

Attitude is the biggest weapon!

Honey fungus Armillaria mellea can be invasive and will spread via black 'bootlace' rhizomorphs underground. When it encounters a suitable new host (usually an already stressed tree) it will invade the roots and eventually encircle the tree weakening it further or killing it completely. If it can't find a suitable new host it will produce the typical mushrooms. They are some of the world's largest living oraganisims, the one in Malheur National Forest in eastern Oregon stretches for 3.5 miles!

Armatillox is a recognised means of control. (though now prohibited to be sold as such in the EU/UK where it has to be marketed as a soap based cleaner :confused: Follow the link to their internationl page rather than the UK page Armatillox UK )

[ 01. February 2006, 12:15 PM: Message edited by: frogesque ]

 

Well, if they prove to be shallow-rooted, looks like it's the spade for me then! I'll give it a go. But I can't possibly get all the spreading roots out without digging up a large area so presumably any honey fungus in the area would find those anyway?

 

Ah, well, of course I would but, the distance, I'm a bit busy, I have a slight head cold... :rolleyes:

 

Attitude is the biggest weapon!

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Agreed :D

 

I've never tried it, but read somewhere that a mixture of oil and petrol(or was it paraffin?) poured into holes drilled in a stump, left to soak for a while and then ignited will burn out the stump and roots.

Wouldn't try it if there was a plastic gas pipe running through the garden though. You might cauterise the whole plot!

 

Dave W

Whilst I love having a good old fashioned smelly bonfire and all that lovely potash it produces, as a mater of policy I do not recommend napalming your garden :D

 

Well this sounds a bit scary!! I have seen loads of stumps that haven't been removed and no doubt...loads of 'honey fungus'. If we work on a garden where there is honey fungus, are we liable to transmit it via our boots? Jeez...this is my first post in this forum and I am nervy already.

 

Young relatives are needed I feel. I had one massive bush I needed to remove a few years ago, after cutting it off, I attacked it with a hose pipe and spray head, left on for a day or so. It softened the soil and made removal much easier if not messier. My Daughter was really helpful and worked like a small JCB.