Rotting Out a Tree Stump - What Has Worked For You?

blain450 said:
I had a red oak stump, 4 1/2+ across. It had about a 1' hole rotted out of the middle.
I plunged my chainsaw into it several times to create gouges. Then any time I was washing cars or watering something, I'd dowse that stump to help keep it moist.
I figured I'd do everything you're NOT supposed to do to keep wood in good condition. If I had leaves or grass clippings, I'd toss them on the stump.
That stump rotted in a couple of years.

If I were doing it today, I'd get fancy and add rock salt into the plunge cuts.
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I've heard that the rock salt and epsom salt don't work, and if anything, tend to have a preserving effect. The salts draw out the moisture from the tree stump. For the tree stump to rot, you want to keep it moist, like what you did with the oak stump, so fungus will grow and rot the stump. It makes sense.
 
BHopkins said:
I've heard that the rock salt and epsom salt don't work, and if anything, tend to have a preserving effect. The salts draw out the moisture from the tree stump. For the tree stump to rot, you want to keep it moist, like what you did with the oak stump, so fungus will grow and rot the stump. It makes sense.
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Interesting thinking

I never tried rock salt

I have tried epsom salt. One unknown stump it did nothing- walnut was my guess back then, fir stump worked great

I leaned toward epsom salt- magnesium sulfate because it is not harmful to plants or well water
 
BHopkins said:
I've heard that the rock salt and epsom salt don't work, and if anything, tend to have a preserving effect. The salts draw out the moisture from the tree stump. For the tree stump to rot, you want to keep it moist, like what you did with the oak stump, so fungus will grow and rot the stump. It makes sense.
Click to expand...
Always figured the salt was to prevent new growth from the stump …
It never made any of mine rot fast …
 
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BHopkins said:
I've heard that the rock salt and epsom salt don't work, and if anything, tend to have a preserving effect. The salts draw out the moisture from the tree stump. For the tree stump to rot, you want to keep it moist, like what you did with the oak stump, so fungus will grow and rot the stump. It makes sense.
Click to expand...
A tree cutter/trimmer guy told me about the rock salt solution. He said bore holes, fill them with rock salt and cover the stump with some type of plastic.
I never used rock salt before, except for driveways in the winter and down crawdad holes in the yard.
 
Has anyone ever tried drilling holes and then using thermite? It might be dangerous though, less so directly about the thermite itself, but it could flash vaporize water in the wood and create a bit of a water vapor explosion? Probably best tried behind a shield of some kind.
 
Capt W said:
A few years ago I had this nasty looking tree about 20 feet tall with an 8-inch trunk diameter. Don't know what type of tree it was, but it dropped about a million little brown spiky balls the locals (St Louis area) called "popcorn balls." I cut it down and left about 2 inches of stump above the ground. Upon the advice of a neighbor, I drilled several 1/2" holes in the trunk about a foot deep and filled those holes with about a pint of Roundup. In less than a year, the trunk died and crumbled into several black pieces, leaving a hole about 12 inches deep by 10 inches wide once I dug everything out. I filled the hole, planted grass, and all was well.
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Did you use straight concentrate? Or "Ready to Use"? Or some other concentrate, somewhere between?

VersysVsWhat said:
Has anyone ever tried drilling holes and then using thermite? It might be dangerous though, less so directly about the thermite itself, but it could flash vaporize water in the wood and create a bit of a water vapor explosion? Probably best tried behind a shield of some kind.
Click to expand...

I'm looking for actual experience that fellow BITOG members have had success with. But I would be all over trying your idea . . . if my goal was to end up on the 10 o'clock news.
 
BHopkins said:
I'm looking for actual experience that fellow BITOG members have had success with. But I would be all over trying your idea . . . if my goal was to end up on the 10 o'clock news.
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Yah, and I was curious if anyone here has tried it. There's been a lot of different suggestions and ideas.
 
When I was a kid, a neighbor would use rock salt to preserve deer hides. If I understand correctly, the rock salt would draw the moisture out of the deer hide, so it would not rot. From what I have learned, rock salt does the same thing to tree stumps.

I decided to go the Roundup method. I drilled multiple holes throughout the trunk, but primarily around the outer perimeter. Then I filled the holes with Roundup.

After the Roundup is done doing it's job, I'm wondering about putting something like septic tank treatment, or RV black tank treatment, in each of the holes. Then I will thoroughly soak the stump with water, and cover it with black plastic, to keep the moisture in, and attract warmth from the sun.

Wouldn't bacteria help promote decay of the tree stump? That combined with keeping it wet and warm. I'm not sure if it is bacteria or fungus that I want, to rot the stump. Any biology majors here?
 
I don't see how roundup will help with rotting faster ?
To really prompt faster decay a caustic chemical of some sort would probably do it.
Not the most environment friendly or for that matter user friendly .
 
BHopkins said:
When I was a kid, a neighbor would use rock salt to preserve deer hides. If I understand correctly, the rock salt would draw the moisture out of the deer hide, so it would not rot. From what I have learned, rock salt does the same thing to tree stumps.

I decided to go the Roundup method. I drilled multiple holes throughout the trunk, but primarily around the outer perimeter. Then I filled the holes with Roundup.

After the Roundup is done doing it's job, I'm wondering about putting something like septic tank treatment, or RV black tank treatment, in each of the holes. Then I will thoroughly soak the stump with water, and cover it with black plastic, to keep the moisture in, and attract warmth from the sun.

Wouldn't bacteria help promote decay of the tree stump? That combined with keeping it wet and warm. I'm not sure if it is bacteria or fungus that I want, to rot the stump. Any biology majors here?
Click to expand...
Are you on well water?
 
Best fruit fight we ever had was when i was around 10. Three tom girls against us 3 guys. Now before you get thoughts - at these ages some girls are kinda big and some boys are kinda scrawny. I was not a large child. They has us on ammo. We had them on mobility. But we just needed to travel a bit further for the good stuff. But had them pinned with their supply. I think I still have welts.
 
Drill lots of holes, add some kerosine, diesel, and/or charcoal lighting fliuid. Get it burning and let it stay burning until it’s well below grade.
 
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