Yesterday I had a tree cut down in my front garden. It had got too
big and unmanageable. It was a Judas tree, which I had grown from
seed. I had been waiting for a recommended tree surgeon to come and
do it, but yesterday I had two men with a chain saw come to the door
offering to do "tree work", so I let them cut it down as I was keen to
be rid of it. Sad to see it go but it had become a nuisance.

My query: I asked them to cut it down to the ground and treat the
stumps. What they did was cut a few deep grooves with the tip of the
chain saw and let the mixture of fuel from the chain saw trickle in.
This they said would stop it re-growing.
Have I been conned?
Should it not have been a proper stump killer?
Advice please.

Pam in Bristol

Had a Rowan cut down a few years ago and the chap did the same and put some
old diesel oil on the stump - it died so I guess yours will be OK. The
problem I had was it was in the corner of a lawn and suckers kept coming up
where the roots ran across - I just kept breaking them off as I saw them and
it eventally gave up.

Alma
"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
Yesterday I had a tree cut down in my front garden. It had got too
big and unmanageable. It was a Judas tree, which I had grown from
seed. I had been waiting for a recommended tree surgeon to come and
do it, but yesterday I had two men with a chain saw come to the door
offering to do "tree work", so I let them cut it down as I was keen to
be rid of it. Sad to see it go but it had become a nuisance.

My query: I asked them to cut it down to the ground and treat the
stumps. What they did was cut a few deep grooves with the tip of the
chain saw and let the mixture of fuel from the chain saw trickle in.
This they said would stop it re-growing.
Have I been conned?
Should it not have been a proper stump killer?
Advice please.

Pam in Bristol

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
Yesterday I had a tree cut down in my front garden. It had got too
big and unmanageable. It was a Judas tree, which I had grown from
seed. I had been waiting for a recommended tree surgeon to come and
do it, but yesterday I had two men with a chain saw come to the door
offering to do "tree work", so I let them cut it down as I was keen to
be rid of it. Sad to see it go but it had become a nuisance.

My query: I asked them to cut it down to the ground and treat the
stumps. What they did was cut a few deep grooves with the tip of the
chain saw and let the mixture of fuel from the chain saw trickle in.
This they said would stop it re-growing.
Have I been conned?
Should it not have been a proper stump killer?
Advice please.

Pam in Bristol

I drilled holes in a tree stump and poured old engine oil into them.
It's certainly worked as the stump has crumbled away from the
roots that are left. Anything like diesel, engine oil, creosote will
do the job. It drives all the water out and cuses the stump to dry
out to the point you can kick bits away from it.

"Ian" wrote in message
...


My query: I asked them to cut it down to the ground and treat the
stumps. What they did was cut a few deep grooves with the tip of the
chain saw and let the mixture of fuel from the chain saw trickle in.
This they said would stop it re-growing.
Have I been conned?
Should it not have been a proper stump killer?
Advice please.

Pam in Bristol

I drilled holes in a tree stump and poured old engine oil into them.
It's certainly worked as the stump has crumbled away from the
roots that are left. Anything like diesel, engine oil, creosote will
do the job. It drives all the water out and cuses the stump to dry
out to the point you can kick bits away from it.

Thats exactly what I did with a large Ash stump, about 30 inches dia.
Numerous 10mm holes as deep as the electric drill would allow all over
the cut surface and also downward pointing holes all around the
circumference.
I too used old sump oil dribbled into the holes and I also used old chip
oil from the deep fat fryer. If theres any of the stump left come
bonfire night I'll try to smoulder it away. I did this with the main
trunk ( about 9 ft long) and it smouldered away to a pile of potash
overnight. Completely disappeared!

PP.