Traction Looking for advice on stump removal

[Jay4200]

I'm planning to help my brother remove a large number of tree stumps after his trees have been harvested and I'm looking for input and advice on the most efficient methods to accomplish this.

I'm dealing with about 1.5 acres of stumps. Most of them will be under 12" in diameter.

This is not the answer you want to hear, but I'd hire it out - there are companies that specialize in land clearing - they have the know-how and equipment. You'll spend half the summer beating the snot out of your machine - pros would knock it out in a day...probably cost all of a grand.

 

[2TonCommon]

Oldpilgrim....Thank you, we hadn't thought of the burying aspect, but that is certainly one to seriously consider. The ground around his acreage varies quite a bit from mixed loam/sand with clay to some of the most Godforsaken hard-pan we've ever seen. So we might have to do some research to see if burying is an option. Thank you again for your input.

 

[sd455dan]

Boomer: Thanks! I think you've got the right answer.... and probably the most efficient. I'll show my brother this thread and let him see the good advice here.

Just a thought - If you do go with a dozer i would recommend one with a good sized ripper or backhoe on the back end... using the rippers helps a lot when tearing out some stubborn pine tree roots.
also can't believe how different 2 similar looking pines can be regarding removal- easy in some cases and a complete bear in others, mainly because of the roots. my:2cents:

If hiring it out or renting , I would take a 312 or 320 Cat Excavator over the dozer.
That way you can easily push the tree over with the bucket and if it has a thumb pick up the whole tree cut off the stump and carry the tree parallel to the ex to stack it. Also dig the pit for the stumps.

 

[skyhook]

Just a thought - Also dig the pit for the stumps.

You just gave me something to ponder, I just recently pulled a stump out, (3x4 feet or so),,
could one just dig the hole it came out of a little deeper and re drop it in and cover it up?
Do you think this thing would come back to life...

 

[Piston]

You just gave me something to ponder, I just recently pulled a stump out, (3x4 feet or so),, could one just dig the hole it came out of a little deeper and re drop it in and cover it up? Do you think this thing would come back to life...

Yup.
Just make sure to pack the dirt in really good so you don't have loose spots. This will help with settling.

I did that all the time before I got my stumpgrinder.

 

[oldpilgrim]

I've dug out many stumps, made the hole bigger and stuffed it back in. It will not regrow.

 

[crazyal]

Before I dug a stump out I would have a plan for the stump. Burying it is a good option but if you have a lot of them (sounds like you could) then it might just not be possible. I like to grind them up. Pulling them up usually means roots that are sticking out of the ground and lots of work. If you use a dozer you are going to loose the top soil that's stuck to the stump and is mixed in with all of the roots. Where as grinding them just means lots of wood chips that will rot. Pine (softwood) should be easy to grind. You can use your tractor to level the ground out after grinding.

 

[TractorGuy]

Pine stumps will rot to a crumbly state in a few years. I'm not buying these guys saying the ground won't settle where a stump is buried.

I cleared a couple acres 30 years ago and removed 150 plus stumps by hand with an axe and shovel when they rotted to a more manageable state. Had a depression that grew with time for most of them. Even had a few deep holes form from root systems rotting out. Disc harrowed most of it to minimize depressions but still have some today.

I'm about to have 5 acres cut and I'm not looking forward to the aftermath. I would entertain a free trees for clearing deal if they would remove the debris.

 

[oldpilgrim]

I'm not buying these guys saying the ground won't settle where a stump is buried.

I had three humongous holes filled with hundreds of pine stumps.

20 YEARS AGO.

Take a trip from Fla to Massachusetts and I'll show you where they were. It is impossible to tell where they were buried.

Since then I have removed dozens of others and buried them. Same result.

My brother built a house next door to me at the same time. He buried a few hundred. Same result.

You can 'buy' it in my case.

 

[Piston]

Pine stumps will rot to a crumbly state in a few years. I'm not buying these guys saying the ground won't settle where a stump is buried. I cleared a couple acres 30 years ago and removed 150 plus stumps by hand with an axe and shovel when they rotted to a more manageable state. Had a depression that grew with time for most of them. Even had a few deep holes form from root systems rotting out. Disc harrowed most of it to minimize depressions but still have some today. I'm about to have 5 acres cut and I'm not looking forward to the aftermath. I would entertain a free trees for clearing deal if they would remove the debris.

Are you saying that you had depressions after you dug the stumps out and filled in the holes? Or you had depressions where you buried the stumps?