What should I do with these stumps (cheaply)?

NoviceGardenOwner

I have 2 large stumps from conifers that have been cut down in my front garden.

They are obviously a messy eyesore at the moment so I want to do something with them. Most importantly, I want to be able to do it cheaply (There has been a big drama with these conifers costing me a LOT of money that I'd rather not get into).

Currently I have a few ideas, but as a novice gardener, I don't know how sensible they are:

1. Try to lower the stumps as low as possible using a bow saw (I don't want to use a chainsaw firstly because I don't want to buy/hire one out of cost and secondly because I am scared of them and it would be unwise for somebody who is scared and inexperienced to use a dangerous tool).
2. Try to accelerate decomposition of the stumps using the Epsom Salt or Potassium Nitrate trick (I don't know whether these actually work or they're just internet lies though).
3. Fill the middle voids of the stumps with soil and try to plant something in there (If this is feasible, I need a lot of suggestions from the experts on here as I have no idea what plants would be suitable - I'd love it if there were something evergreen that would grow and and then flop over the stumps so that I don't have to see them)

I have 3 Griselinia Littoralis shrubs left over from hedging I was doing in my back garden that I want to use to line the wall to the road so that I get privacy in my living room. So I'd like to be able to somehow plant these too (Unless that is a stupid idea).

Could somebody offer me some guidance please?

bcpathome

I can tell you what we did with our one .It may not suit you ,but we cut it right down level with the soil and put pots of flowers on top of it .Gradually over time the water from the pots rotted the wood ( no cost) and we were able to dig it into the soil .Took a while but .

Obelixx

In my experience conifer stumps rot quite quickly once winter wet and cold sets in so you could just try patience and wait for that to happen.

Another free method is to dig around those trunks to locate the biggest roots and sever them with a pruning saw or lopper depending on their size.   Then you can rock those stups out of the soil.  Again, it will be better when the soil has been wetted by rain.

The best time to plant your grisellinia is in autum when the soil is still warm and has been dampened by rains.  That gives you plenty of time to clear the area and work in some soil improver such as well-rotted garden compost or similar.   In the mean time, keep them fed and watered and maybe pot them on if they're bursting out of their pots.

Kili

SBK Tree Stump Killer   £22

NoviceGardenOwner

Kili said:

SBK Tree Stump Killer   £22

Thank you. But as I understand it, stump KILLERS are essentially just high concentration weed killer and are concerned only with the killing, not removing/decaying, of the stump.

NoviceGardenOwner

bcpathome said:

I can tell you what we did with our one .It may not suit you ,but we cut it right down level with the soil and put pots of flowers on top of it .Gradually over time the water from the pots rotted the wood ( no cost) and we were able to dig it into the soil .Took a while but .

If I got it lever with the soil I guess I could just soil over it too to achieve a similar thing, right?

Dovefromabove

There's no need to kill those stumps ... they're unlikely to sprout from the base ... few if any of the more usually grown conifers will do that.  

Loxley

A couple of Choisyas would be the right sort of size and shape to cover up the stumps, just mattock out as much root as possible to create planting holes.

NoviceGardenOwner

How difficult would it be to dig into the ground, cut the main roots with a saw, and rock the stumps out by hand?

(Maybe waiting until after a heavy rain to loosen the soil)

bertrand-mabel

We used our stumps to allow different clematis plants to grow up and that has been very successful.

Dovefromabove

NoviceGardenOwner said:

How difficult would it be to dig into the ground, cut the main roots with a saw, and rock the stumps out by hand?

(Maybe waiting until after a heavy rain to loosen the soil)

I wouldn’t have found it too hard when I was a younger woman … it’s not something I would try now I’m a much older one. 

It depends on your level of fitness and preparedness for a bit of hard work. It’s certainly cheaper (and more enjoyable IMHO) than a gym membership 😉