The stump which is a horse chestnut was chopped down about 2 month ago, it
is about 15 inch in diameter, if I dig round it how deep will I heed to go
before I reached the roots, and would I need a axe or a chainsaw, and could
I lift
it?

Could I burn it out by using charcoal or coal, petrol any thing like that

or use http://www.daxproducts.co.uk/rootout.html

On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 18:56:03 -0000, "Keith Hampson"
wrote:


Could I burn it out by using charcoal or coal, petrol any thing like that

In several years time when it's well rotted - maybe.

or use http://www.daxproducts.co.uk/rootout.html

It will kill the stump but it will not rot it.

=================================================

Rod

Weed my email address to reply.
http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

"Keith Hampson" wrote in message
...
The stump which is a horse chestnut was chopped down about 2 month
ago, it
is about 15 inch in diameter, if I dig round it how deep will I heed
to go
before I reached the roots, and would I need a axe or a chainsaw,
and could
I lift
it?

Could I burn it out by using charcoal or coal, petrol any thing like
that

or use http://www.daxproducts.co.uk/rootout.html

I doubt there are any quick solutions.
Chemical treatments rely on rotting and that takes time.
Using a chain saw on underground roots is not recommended !
Contact with stones would be very dangerous and contact with soil will
take the edge off the cutting chain in no time at all.
Only way is to dig down to each root in turn and sever that with an
axe or whatever it takes, then move on to the next.
'If' you have left enough height on the stump you may eventually be
able to rock it which helps locate the next root to be cut.
A newly cut stump will not burn easily.
Not easy!

--
ned

http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk
last update 30.12.2004

"Keith Hampson" wrote in message
...
The stump which is a horse chestnut was chopped down about 2 month ago, it
is about 15 inch in diameter, if I dig round it how deep will I heed to go
before I reached the roots, and would I need a axe or a chainsaw, and
could
I lift
it?

Could I burn it out by using charcoal or coal, petrol any thing like that

or use http://www.daxproducts.co.uk/rootout.html


You should be able to dig it out with a lot of sweat and swearing. Use a
mattock & post hole spade to dig in around the roots to expose them and an
axe ( a good long handled one with a heavy head, and sharp) to cut through
them. It will be a heavy job and not for anyone unfit, but I've done plenty
like it. A chain saw is useless below ground level, as you can't get proper
access and the second you get any dirt, grit or stones on the chain it goes
blunt and won't cut properly. A good long crowbar may be useful too,
especially in prising the stump out. If it has a long stump left (as it
should if you meant to dig it out, to give purchase), don't cut the stump
until you've got it out, as the longer the better to give leverage.
Put some beer in the fridge before you start! Good luck, and don't blame me
for your hernia.

Keith Hampson wrote:

The stump which is a horse chestnut was chopped down about 2 month ago, it
is about 15 inch in diameter, if I dig round it how deep will I heed to go
before I reached the roots, and would I need a axe or a chainsaw, and could
I lift
it?

If you had left about 4-5 foot of stump on top you might have been able
to dig around it sever the roots one by one and lever the thing out. If
you have it nearly flush with the ground the lazy way is feed it with
nitrogen and leave it to rot.

They take between 5 and 10 years to weaken enough to get out naturally.

Or you could hire a stump grinder.

Could I burn it out by using charcoal or coal, petrol any thing like that
or use http://www.daxproducts.co.uk/rootout.html

In the ground it will be far too wet to burn. You could try drilling it
and filling the holes with potassium nitrate and then at the height of
next summers drought try burning a fire on top and hope it catches. I
tried this once and the main effect of the extra nitrogen was a
spectactular large but indeible fungal fruiting body.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Martin Brown wrote:
[...]
In the ground it will be far too wet to burn. You could try
drilling
it and filling the holes with potassium nitrate and then at the
height of next summers drought try burning a fire on top and hope
it
catches. I tried this once and the main effect of the extra
nitrogen
was a spectactular large but indeible fungal fruiting body.

Bang goes another dream! I've always wanted to do that. But, talking
of bangs, if a stump's far enough from windows and neighbours, I've
heard of their being blown up with gunpowder: I _really_ want to do
that! If the situation's right and money's no object, your friendly
local explosives licensee might come in and do his thing with plastic
explosive. Please invite me to the show.

Mike.

"ned" wrote in message
...

"Keith Hampson" wrote in message
...
The stump which is a horse chestnut was chopped down about 2 month
ago, it
is about 15 inch in diameter, if I dig round it how deep will I heed
to go
before I reached the roots, and would I need a axe or a chainsaw,
and could
I lift
it?

Could I burn it out by using charcoal or coal, petrol any thing like
that

or use http://www.daxproducts.co.uk/rootout.html

I doubt there are any quick solutions.
Chemical treatments rely on rotting and that takes time.
Using a chain saw on underground roots is not recommended !
Contact with stones would be very dangerous and contact with soil will
take the edge off the cutting chain in no time at all.
Only way is to dig down to each root in turn and sever that with an
axe or whatever it takes, then move on to the next.
'If' you have left enough height on the stump you may eventually be
able to rock it which helps locate the next root to be cut.
A newly cut stump will not burn easily.
Not easy!

Early last year I had an identical problem......and was able to solve it.
I cut down a big old Ash, and after clearing away the top growth I was left
with a trunk 30 ins dia, X 8ft long too heavy to manhandle, .......and a
stump knee high, same dia.
I drilled numerous 12mm dia holes as deep as I could in the top surface and
all over the sides in downward sloping directions........including any
exposed surface roots. I filled these with old oil (free from the local
garage) and as the oil soaked in, I kept refilling the holes. This process
took about 8 - 10 days or so.
I then covered the two with a small quantity of dry bonfire kindling and set
fire to both.
The results truly surprised me . Within 12 hours the trunk had simply
disappeared to a pile of white ash and there was no fierce blaze or heavy
smoke (apart from the initial kindling which only lasted minutes). It had
just smouldered away.
The trunk took about a week to disappear after it started smouldering, and I
just applied a couple of top ups to keep it working. Again, no black smoke
or flames and.....very importantly, .....no angry neighbours.
A very old and tried method is to use a strong solution of Saltpetre
(potassium nitrate) instead of oil and I've read that the solution can
permeate and burn to the very ends of the roots.....but it takes much longer
and a lot more applications, and I would think it would be more dangerous
and volatile.......saltpetre was once a constituent of fireworks. !

On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 18:56:03 -0000, "Keith Hampson"
wrote:

The stump which is a horse chestnut was chopped down about 2 month ago, it
is about 15 inch in diameter, if I dig round it how deep will I heed to go
before I reached the roots, and would I need a axe or a chainsaw, and could
I lift
it?

To give you some idea of the potential amount of work ahead of you,
let me explain how I removed a spruce tree from the back garden last
year. I cut the actual tree down (branch by branch), then ended up
with a stump that was about 10 inches in diameter and stuck up about 2
feet. An added complication, and the reason why the tree had to come
down, was that the tree had been growing skewiff, thus the stump was
on quite a pronounced slant, making it difficult to get underneath it
on the one side.

It took me about three days in all (working most of the day) to get
that darned stump out! I first cut the trailing roots, some of which
were buried deep in the soil. Then I went and bought a crowbar. Then I
bought an axe and attacked it with that. Finally, using the axe, the
crowbar, a grubber, and a spade, I dug out a hole around the stump for
about two feet down and 4 feet in diameter. Only then did I have
enough room to apply leverage. At last it came free, but the job was a
major hassle. I should think your horse chestnut would or could be
several times harder!

Now, I couldn't get a stump grinding firm as the stump was right up
against the fence. In any case, once I started removing it myself, I
kept telling myself, it can't be *that* hard! Of course, the sense of
achievement when it finally came out (reminded me of the time I spent
20 minutes in the dentist's chair while he fought heaven and earth to
lever out a wisdom tooth, amongst much creaking and cracking) was
enormous.

Best of luck!

MM

"MM" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 18:56:03 -0000, "Keith Hampson"
wrote:

The stump which is a horse chestnut was chopped down about 2 month ago, it
is about 15 inch in diameter, if I dig round it how deep will I heed to go
before I reached the roots, and would I need a axe or a chainsaw, and
could
I lift
it?

To give you some idea of the potential amount of work ahead of you,
let me explain how I removed a spruce tree from the back garden last
year. I cut the actual tree down (branch by branch), then ended up
with a stump that was about 10 inches in diameter and stuck up about 2
feet. An added complication, and the reason why the tree had to come
down, was that the tree had been growing skewiff, thus the stump was
on quite a pronounced slant, making it difficult to get underneath it
on the one side.

It took me about three days in all (working most of the day) to get
that darned stump out! I first cut the trailing roots, some of which
were buried deep in the soil. Then I went and bought a crowbar. Then I
bought an axe and attacked it with that. Finally, using the axe, the
crowbar, a grubber, and a spade, I dug out a hole around the stump for
about two feet down and 4 feet in diameter. Only then did I have
enough room to apply leverage. At last it came free, but the job was a
major hassle. I should think your horse chestnut would or could be
several times harder!

Now, I couldn't get a stump grinding firm as the stump was right up
against the fence. In any case, once I started removing it myself, I
kept telling myself, it can't be *that* hard! Of course, the sense of
achievement when it finally came out (reminded me of the time I spent
20 minutes in the dentist's chair while he fought heaven and earth to
lever out a wisdom tooth, amongst much creaking and cracking) was
enormous.

Best of luck!

MM
It would have been easier if you'd left a longer stump, say 4 to 5 feet.
That gives much better leverage, and you can use a puller on it too. I can
sympathise though, some tree stumps are a real bu**er.