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Conifer and soil

Daren2Daren2 Posts: 3
in Problem solving
Hi All 
I have five conifer trees cut down to ground level about 6inch wide trunks . How can I kill the stumps and get the soil back and healthy for a flower bed ? 
Daren 

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391
    Conifer stumps won't re-grow, so they are already effectively dead.  You can get the stumps ground out, otherwise it's just a matter of plenty of hard work to dig them out.  If you are going to try that, then a mattock is the best tool for the job.  Once out, add a good 4" layer of well rotted manure to the area and dig it in to reinvigorate the soil.
    Another alternative is to build a raised bed over the stumps which will rot away beneath in a few years.   
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    edited April 2018
    Too late for you now I know, but when I removed a Leylandii hedge I reduced the trees to bare 6' high stems, hacked through the near-surface roots with an axe and then used the 6' stem as a lever to pull the root ball out. Worked fine, except for one which just wouldn't come. But when OH turned up and added her weight to the rope, out it came!
  • FireFire Posts: 17,116
    The stumps can provide good organic matter for the soil as they slowly break down, if you leave them in. 
  • Daren2Daren2 Posts: 3
    Thanks all 
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