This stump wouldn't pop

VAChesterfield · Jan 9, 2005

This stump wouldn\'t pop

Please meet Stumpy (attached photo). I'm converting a few acres of cutover timberland land into a horse pasture and have been busy popping up the mostly small pine stumps left behind by the land clearing company I hired to get the big stuff.

This particular stump was sticking up about an inch above the ground. I tried using my FEL to pop it up like I'd been doing on dozens of other stumps with no luck. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif So, I tried again from another angle, nothing. Then I tried digging a bit deeper before rotating the bucket. Still nothing. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I finally decided to dig around it until I could get underneath it. Two and a half hours later (and a really big hole) I was able to dislodge it. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif There were two more radial roots that tore off while was digging it out. Hopefully, this is the only stump like this in the field. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

KiotiJohn · Jan 9, 2005

Re: This stump wouldn\'t pop

I know how bad pine stumps can be. If you look at my albums link, under backhoe, you'll see one that I had to dig as deep as the backhoe would go, and finally had to just cut off the top and fill in the hole because the tap root was probably about as much deeper as I had already dug. In the picture I'm down around 6.5 feet deep. Finally took the chain saw down into the hole and while standing on an old wash tub, I cut enough of the side roots to get through the main torso, removed that and filled in! Took quite a while.
I have another one now, 80' pine with a stump that, at the base, is over 2 1/2' wide. I know I'll be cutting it off down low too! John

btolle · Jan 9, 2005

Re: This stump wouldn\'t pop

I have LOTS of pine trees! And the stumps are a real pain to get up so I just have a stump grinder come be once in a while and grind them off about 8" below ground and cover them up.

Gave up on digging them up since I don't have a backhoe and the FEL ends up with such a big hole it just isn't worth the effort.

Bill Tolle

TWINKLE_TOES · Jan 9, 2005

Re: This stump wouldn\'t pop

Steve, I think this is a picture of a really nice house. Whats that blue thing with the weed in the foreground? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Just kidding, stumps are mother natures way of showing who is in charge.

DocHeb · Jan 9, 2005

Re: This stump wouldn\'t pop

Although I can understand the desire for more seat time, but why not just rent a stump grinder for the day and grind them out? That way you won't end up with as much soil disturbance and sinkholes after the soil settles.

sassafraspete · Jan 9, 2005

Re: This stump wouldn\'t pop

yep....we've got horse weeds around here with bigger roots than that. Only kidding too. I got humbled by a small hickory...that dude had a tap root that went to China. It's always hard to tell what they are going to be like to pluck out of there.

VAChesterfield · Jan 9, 2005

Re: This stump wouldn\'t pop

( Although I can understand the desire for more seat time, but why not just rent a stump grinder for the day and grind them out? That way you won't end up with as much soil disturbance and sinkholes after the soil settles. )

Two reasons: (1) The stumps are small, mostly 3' to 4' in diameter, and usually easy to pop up without distrubing the soil very much; and (2) eventually, a stump left in the ground, even several inches under the surface, will rot and leave a sinkhole just the right size to break a horse's leg. A broken leg generally means a dead horse, unless one is willing to expend thousands of dollars in vet bill. Which I'd rather not do.

Therefore, I'll stick with popping the many and digging the few.

MMM · Jan 9, 2005

Re: This stump wouldn\'t pop

( a stump left in the ground, )

Can ruin implements/tractor used for pasture ground prep.

KiotiJohn · Jan 11, 2005

Re: This stump wouldn\'t pop

( Two reasons: (1) The stumps are small, mostly 3' to 4' in diameter, and usually easy to pop up without distrubing the soil very much; and (2) eventually, a stump left in the ground, even several inches under the surface, will rot and leave a sinkhole just the right size to break a horse's leg. )
One thing I don't like about just grinding is that "hump" that was made by the crown as the tree grew larger. On these large ones I'm felling, the ground around them is sometimes at least 6-8" higher the the surrounding ground. The grinding doesn't really rid me of this, and I can't level it. It's much better, for me, to at least dig down a few feet and then cut it off, level it and everything is smooth again.
Last two days I've been digging stumps for an arthritis crippled friend's father. These were fairly large pines but I'm getting most of the taps out, at least 6' long each. I'll be posting some pics of this soon as I've had some requests for more stump shots. Started digging one today that the stump is about 3' across, a real bear. Let's see if I can get THIS one out by the tap! John