Above-ground Stump removal ideas needed

 I live near Pensacola, FL, and recently experienced Hurricane Ivan.
Fortunately my home had minor damage, but my yard which I had invested much
effort in landscaping these past few months has been decimated.

The biggest problem I face is figuring out the best way to handle the
removal of two root balls from trees uprooted by the storm.  The smaller
root ball sits above the ground and is about 4' in diameter.  The larger
root ball is about 6' in diameter.  I have already cut up the trunk portion
of both trees.

I'm assuming that having the root balls lifted out of the yard by crane
would be very expensive.  Having them dragged out by tractor or similar
device would likely damage a large portion of the yard (and the underground
sprinkler system).  I could have them ground, but I'm not sure if it is
possible for a stump grinder to work on a root ball that sits totally about
ground and is laying on its side.

Can anyone suggest anything I could do to best remove these?  I don't want
to take a chain saw to them because of the massive amount of clay-rich soil
embedded in the roots.  I had contemplated using a hose to try and wash the
soil away from the rootball a bit at a time.  I'm not sure if this would
really even be feasible, though.

Any suggestions on what to do with these would be greatly appreciated.

Tony

 
If you or a friend has a power washer - or they can be rented, or bot from
from Home Depot for 100-150 bucks - you could blast the root ball and remove
much of the clay. Only need to remove enough clay to cut roots down to a
ball-shaped dense mass. Then try rolling it out of the yard, up a ramp, and
into a pickup.
Never done this - just an idea.

 
Clay? In Florida?

 
Absolutely.  I'm in Northwest Florida and most of the yards here have pretty
acidic clay soil.  It's only on the beaches that I've ever seen sandy soil
(Pensacola Beach [what's left of it], Gulf Breeze, and so on).

I have "soil" in one section of my yard that even after top dressing with
organic material and core aerating several seasons is still so hard that you
can't put a screwdriver in the soil unless it is wet.

I'd be thrilled with a higher sand content in my yard.

Tony

 stump root balls NEVER roll cooperatively, unless it isn't necessary for
them too.  think it is one of Murphy's laws.

--
Totus Tuus
Claudia (take out no spam to reply)