Summary: Old gardens sometimes have remnants of old stumps sticking out of the ground where the “complete” tree stump removal was not a part of the finished tree removal job. Should you remove them?
Question: Our garden has some old tree stumps left over from some previous trees that were cut down. Should we leave the stumps or have someone with a tree stump grinder come in and grind them down? Lauren, Columbia, SC
Answer: Lauren, modern tree stump grinding and tree cutting equipment includes special equipment and saws which cut below the surface of the ground, and when a tree is to be removed from the landscape you should as the homeowner insist on having stump grinding done as part of the overall job.
An old garden, however, often contains a stump projecting a foot or more above ground. There is no easy way to remove such a stump or at times get close with any stump grinding machinery. The so-called stump-removing chemicals are generally considered to be doubtfully effective. The most reliable techniques are digging the stump out, grinding it stump down and blasting. Blasting is the quickest method; but it should never be attempted by an amateur and is only used in rare cases on commercial projects. Plus, it is an unnecessarily drastic procedure for any average home garden.
Some homeowners think they can burn the stump out, but wood will not burn without air, a fire over the stump will affect only the surface. Often the most practicable method is to cut the stump flush with the ground (but preferably below the soil level) and cover the stump with earth mixed with a water-holding substance such as peat moss with some low-rooted annuals in the soil and, after every crop, chip away. The moist earth will speed up the decay of the stump.
