Killing small tree stumps

[Jean Staffen]

I am going to assemble a garden shed in my back yard in a spot that is
presently occupied by three small trees. The trees are volunteers and about
6' high. Castorbeans I think. Here's my plan: Cut them down as low as
possible. Cover stumps with water softener salt (rock salt) and them upend
coffee cans over the stumps. The floor of the shed will cover the stumps
and I'm thinking that the salt and lack of sun will kill the stumps.

Will this work?

[Victor Martinez]

Jean Staffen wrote:
> Will this work?

I wouldn't add salt. There are specialty stump removers for sale.

--
Victor Martinez
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[Jim Marrs]

If in fact these trees are castorbeans ( not really trees), they will be
very easy to remove. Castorbeans have a relative shallow root system and a
few digs with a shovel should be enough to take them out. Or as an
alternative. just cut them down at the base, they will not resprout.
"Jean Staffen" > wrote in message
...
> I am going to assemble a garden shed in my back yard in a spot that is
> presently occupied by three small trees. The trees are volunteers and
about
> 6' high. Castorbeans I think. Here's my plan: Cut them down as low as
> possible. Cover stumps with water softener salt (rock salt) and them upend
> coffee cans over the stumps. The floor of the shed will cover the stumps
> and I'm thinking that the salt and lack of sun will kill the stumps.
>
> Will this work?
>
>

[Jean Staffen]

I found out they are not castorbeans, but some kind of Chinese elm or
something. They have varigated trunks - that look like a girafe's coat. I
have taken out 2 of them and they had taproots a good 3" thick. I've cut
down the biggest one and plan to treat it with the salt anyway, just in
case.

"Jim Marrs" > wrote in message
...
> If in fact these trees are castorbeans ( not really trees), they will be
> very easy to remove. Castorbeans have a relative shallow root system and a
> few digs with a shovel should be enough to take them out. Or as an
> alternative. just cut them down at the base, they will not resprout.
> "Jean Staffen" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I am going to assemble a garden shed in my back yard in a spot that is
> > presently occupied by three small trees. The trees are volunteers and
> about
> > 6' high. Castorbeans I think. Here's my plan: Cut them down as low as
> > possible. Cover stumps with water softener salt (rock salt) and them
upend
> > coffee cans over the stumps. The floor of the shed will cover the
stumps
> > and I'm thinking that the salt and lack of sun will kill the stumps.
> >
> > Will this work?
> >
> >
>
>

[John T. Jarrett]

If you have a few weekends inbetween the cutting and the building, I'd
suggest a pile of charcoal on each every few days or over each
weekend. Freshen it up with an extra handful when it starts burning
down...We had cigar trees in our back yard and no amount of anything
(including RoundUp which I hated even trying) worked...but the
charcoal on the stumps did!

You just have to keep an eye on it...

John


"Jean Staffen" > wrote in message
...
> I found out they are not castorbeans, but some kind of Chinese elm
or
> something. They have varigated trunks - that look like a girafe's
coat. I
> have taken out 2 of them and they had taproots a good 3" thick.
I've cut
> down the biggest one and plan to treat it with the salt anyway, just
in
> case.
>
> "Jim Marrs" > wrote in message
> ...
> > If in fact these trees are castorbeans ( not really trees), they
will be
> > very easy to remove. Castorbeans have a relative shallow root
system and a
> > few digs with a shovel should be enough to take them out. Or as an
> > alternative. just cut them down at the base, they will not
resprout.
> > "Jean Staffen" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I am going to assemble a garden shed in my back yard in a spot
that is
> > > presently occupied by three small trees. The trees are
volunteers and
> > about
> > > 6' high. Castorbeans I think. Here's my plan: Cut them down as
low as
> > > possible. Cover stumps with water softener salt (rock salt) and
them
> upend
> > > coffee cans over the stumps. The floor of the shed will cover
the
> stumps
> > > and I'm thinking that the salt and lack of sun will kill the
stumps.
> > >
> > > Will this work?
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[Steven]

I rented a stump grinder for a few hours and shredded about 10 stumps
of different tree species. All of them are history.


"John T. Jarrett" > wrote in message >...
> If you have a few weekends inbetween the cutting and the building, I'd
> suggest a pile of charcoal on each every few days or over each
> weekend. Freshen it up with an extra handful when it starts burning
> down...We had cigar trees in our back yard and no amount of anything
> (including RoundUp which I hated even trying) worked...but the
> charcoal on the stumps did!
>
> You just have to keep an eye on it...
>
> John
>
>
> "Jean Staffen" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I found out they are not castorbeans, but some kind of Chinese elm
> or
> > something. They have varigated trunks - that look like a girafe's
> coat. I
> > have taken out 2 of them and they had taproots a good 3" thick.
> I've cut
> > down the biggest one and plan to treat it with the salt anyway, just
> in
> > case.
> >
> > "Jim Marrs" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > If in fact these trees are castorbeans ( not really trees), they
> will be
> > > very easy to remove. Castorbeans have a relative shallow root
> system and a
> > > few digs with a shovel should be enough to take them out. Or as an
> > > alternative. just cut them down at the base, they will not
> resprout.
> > > "Jean Staffen" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > I am going to assemble a garden shed in my back yard in a spot
> that is
> > > > presently occupied by three small trees. The trees are
> volunteers and
> about
> > > > 6' high. Castorbeans I think. Here's my plan: Cut them down as
> low as
> > > > possible. Cover stumps with water softener salt (rock salt) and
> them
> upend
> > > > coffee cans over the stumps. The floor of the shed will cover
> the
> stumps
> > > > and I'm thinking that the salt and lack of sun will kill the
> stumps.
> > > >
> > > > Will this work?
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >

[Ron M.]

"Jean Staffen" > wrote in message >...
> I am going to assemble a garden shed in my back yard in a spot that is
> presently occupied by three small trees. The trees are volunteers and about
> 6' high. Castorbeans I think. Here's my plan: Cut them down as low as
> possible. Cover stumps with water softener salt (rock salt) and them upend
> coffee cans over the stumps. The floor of the shed will cover the stumps
> and I'm thinking that the salt and lack of sun will kill the stumps.
>
> Will this work?

Jeez. Just drill a good hole in the stump, straight down through the
middle - the deeper the better - I used a 12 inch drill bit, a 3/8" I
recall. Get a good herbicide like Kleenup and pour it into the hole.
If it's a big stump, like a foot across or something, drill 3 or 4
holes. Gasoline would probably work, too, but the enviro-weenies will
squeal about it if they find out.

It's not really necessary, but if you want to, just for good measure,
paint the top of the stump as well. That black tar-like stuff made for
painting pruned tree limbs is good - I forget exactly what it's
called, pruning paint or something like that.

Ron M.

[John T. Jarrett]

What did it cost you and where did you find one? I pulled out the
yellow pages but none of the local "rental companies" had one...

John

"Steven" > wrote in message
om...
> I rented a stump grinder for a few hours and shredded about 10
stumps
> of different tree species. All of them are history.
>
>
> "John T. Jarrett" > wrote in message
>...
> > If you have a few weekends inbetween the cutting and the building,
I'd
> > suggest a pile of charcoal on each every few days or over each
> > weekend. Freshen it up with an extra handful when it starts
burning
> > down...We had cigar trees in our back yard and no amount of
anything
> > (including RoundUp which I hated even trying) worked...but the
> > charcoal on the stumps did!
> >
> > You just have to keep an eye on it...
> >
> > John
> >
> >
> > "Jean Staffen" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I found out they are not castorbeans, but some kind of Chinese
elm
> > or
> > > something. They have varigated trunks - that look like a
girafe's
> > coat. I
> > > have taken out 2 of them and they had taproots a good 3" thick.
> > I've cut
> > > down the biggest one and plan to treat it with the salt anyway,
just
> > in
> > > case.
> > >
> > > "Jim Marrs" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > If in fact these trees are castorbeans ( not really trees),
they
> > will be
> > > > very easy to remove. Castorbeans have a relative shallow root
> > system and a
> > > > few digs with a shovel should be enough to take them out. Or
as an
> > > > alternative. just cut them down at the base, they will not
> > resprout.
> > > > "Jean Staffen" > wrote in message
> > > > ...
> > > > > I am going to assemble a garden shed in my back yard in a
spot
> > that is
> > > > > presently occupied by three small trees. The trees are
> > volunteers and
> > about
> > > > > 6' high. Castorbeans I think. Here's my plan: Cut them
down as
> > low as
> > > > > possible. Cover stumps with water softener salt (rock salt)
and
> > them
> > upend
> > > > > coffee cans over the stumps. The floor of the shed will
cover
> > the
> > stumps
> > > > > and I'm thinking that the salt and lack of sun will kill the
> > stumps.
> > > > >
> > > > > Will this work?
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >

[John T. Jarrett]

What did it cost you and where did you find one? I pulled out the
yellow pages but none of the local "rental companies" had one...

John

"Steven" > wrote in message
om...
> I rented a stump grinder for a few hours and shredded about 10
stumps
> of different tree species. All of them are history.
>
>
> "John T. Jarrett" > wrote in message
>...
> > If you have a few weekends inbetween the cutting and the building,
I'd
> > suggest a pile of charcoal on each every few days or over each
> > weekend. Freshen it up with an extra handful when it starts
burning
> > down...We had cigar trees in our back yard and no amount of
anything
> > (including RoundUp which I hated even trying) worked...but the
> > charcoal on the stumps did!
> >
> > You just have to keep an eye on it...
> >
> > John
> >
> >
> > "Jean Staffen" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I found out they are not castorbeans, but some kind of Chinese
elm
> > or
> > > something. They have varigated trunks - that look like a
girafe's
> > coat. I
> > > have taken out 2 of them and they had taproots a good 3" thick.
> > I've cut
> > > down the biggest one and plan to treat it with the salt anyway,
just
> > in
> > > case.
> > >
> > > "Jim Marrs" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > If in fact these trees are castorbeans ( not really trees),
they
> > will be
> > > > very easy to remove. Castorbeans have a relative shallow root
> > system and a
> > > > few digs with a shovel should be enough to take them out. Or
as an
> > > > alternative. just cut them down at the base, they will not
> > resprout.
> > > > "Jean Staffen" > wrote in message
> > > > ...
> > > > > I am going to assemble a garden shed in my back yard in a
spot
> > that is
> > > > > presently occupied by three small trees. The trees are
> > volunteers and
> > about
> > > > > 6' high. Castorbeans I think. Here's my plan: Cut them
down as
> > low as
> > > > > possible. Cover stumps with water softener salt (rock salt)
and
> > them
> > upend
> > > > > coffee cans over the stumps. The floor of the shed will
cover
> > the
> > stumps
> > > > > and I'm thinking that the salt and lack of sun will kill the
> > stumps.
> > > > >
> > > > > Will this work?
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >

[Steve Wertz]

On Sun, 28 Mar 2004 14:49:35 GMT, "Jean Staffen"
> wrote:

>I am going to assemble a garden shed in my back yard in a spot that is
>presently occupied by three small trees. The trees are volunteers and about
>6' high. Castorbeans I think. Here's my plan: Cut them down as low as
>possible. Cover stumps with water softener salt (rock salt) and them upend
>coffee cans over the stumps. The floor of the shed will cover the stumps
>and I'm thinking that the salt and lack of sun will kill the stumps.

My bottle of RoundUp weedkiller says to drill some holes in the
stump and pour in the weedkiller.

-sw

[Steve Wertz]

On Sun, 28 Mar 2004 14:49:35 GMT, "Jean Staffen"
> wrote:

>I am going to assemble a garden shed in my back yard in a spot that is
>presently occupied by three small trees. The trees are volunteers and about
>6' high. Castorbeans I think. Here's my plan: Cut them down as low as
>possible. Cover stumps with water softener salt (rock salt) and them upend
>coffee cans over the stumps. The floor of the shed will cover the stumps
>and I'm thinking that the salt and lack of sun will kill the stumps.

My bottle of RoundUp weedkiller says to drill some holes in the
stump and pour in the weedkiller.

-sw