Need ideas to get rid of a couple of maple stumps

[sixdogs]

Does anyone have experience getting rid of a few stumps by burning them? I have a few soft maple stumps about 8" across that I need to get rid of. I could backhoe them out but that's too messy for the lawn. I could grind them out but would have to rent a stump grinder and don't think I want to spend $160.

How about if I burn them out? They are flush cut with the ground and I figured I could drill a bunch of 1" holes in the stump and then build a small fire on top of the stump after it's dried out. Seems like that should do it?

If it doesn't, I could go back to a stump grinder as plan B? Has anyone burned them that could offer some do's and don'ts or even if it would work?

 

[davesl708]

There are chemicals you can buy that speed the decomp. If not build a small fire ring around the stump and burn a fire till the stump starts smoldering. It will continue to burn underground till wet. Provided the stump is dried out.
Some local ordinances prohibit burning stumps so better check.

 

[Birdhunter1]

1" holes, pour oil in them for about a week then build a fire on top.

 

[Egon]

Check out Swedish Fire Log.

 

[oldpilgrim]

How about if I burn them out? They are flush cut with the ground and I figured I could drill a bunch of 1" holes in the stump and then build a small fire on top of the stump after it's dried out. Seems like that should do it?

Maple stumps don't seem to dry out. They always seem to stay alive because if you leave them, new sprouts will come out and new trees will grow like wildfire based on the original stump.

I'm not sure much of anything will work as good as digging them out.

 

[sixdogs]

Maple stumps don't seem to dry out. They always seem to stay alive because if you leave them, new sprouts will come out and new trees will grow like wildfire based on the original stump.

I'm not sure much of anything will work as good as digging them out.

They are dead and no sprouts are coming out. I thoroughly killed them with glyphosate and know how to do it. One stump was killed and cut down a few years ago while the others killed either last fall or this spring.

 

[DT86]

Like birdhunter said, drill some holes and add used oil.

For building the fire on top I'd use some charcoal or a leaf blower to keep it burning hot.

 

[Streetcar]

I had a dead maple and tried to burn it. Drilled holes and had hot fire . Little of the stump below ground burned. I ended up grinding it out

 

[N2DFire]

I like this guys method.

I can second the use of a leaf blower (and burnt motor oil). I've turned a couple wet green brush piles into a bed of hot coals using those.

 

[oosik]

I've tried three methods with some and good success. First I tried burning. It worked too well. It burned under ground via the large roots and I ended up having to dig it up to put it out. I drilled multiple - 10 to 12 - one inch holes at least a foot deep into the stump and put some "bacterial agent" guaranteed to aide in the decomposition of a stump. I did about 30 of them ten years ago and the stumps are still there.

The only way to immediately remove a stump is to dig it up. My stumps are from Ponderosa pine and are from 24 to 38 inches in diameter. I've only dug up one stump because its all by hand for me and it took me the better part of three days.

I must have been in La-la land to think I could hand dig all my stumps. Its not really that big a deal for me - all the stumps are out on open range land and not bothering anybody. Now my feeling is - - God brought the trees, let him get rid of the stumps.