Covering a tree stump?

 


I'm a novice gardener and have just started working on my garden and
have found
a big tree stump in a large flower bed area that I was
intending to dig over and
cover with decorative stones (as I would like
a low maintainence garden!).  The
stump is about a foot higher than the
soil level and I can't afford to have a
professional remove it.  I'm
also reluctant to dig it out as I understand this
is a very hard (and
sometimes long) job.  So, what are the other options?  Can I
chop it
down a bit more (to soil level) and then cover the whole area (and it)
with stones or will this cause problems later on?  Is it also necessary
to try
to remove all the roots from the ground before covering - will
they also cause
problems later on?

I have two other trees on the other side in a flower bed area that are
cut down
to about 4 ft (so I'm hoping to also be able to cut them down
to ground level
and cover them as well).  Any advice welcome.




--
Poppy27

 

Cutting the main roots and removing the stump is less work than
chopping or cutting a foot off the top of the stump.  Especially
if the stump is years old.  Roots will be at least partly rotted.
For this job I like a pickaxe or a Pulaski.  Get one and get it
sharpened.

An alternative is to lay simply stone around the stump and put
something decorative on top of it.  Pot with a hanging plant?
Birdbath?  Stone garden lantern?

    Una

 

Poppy27 wrote:

I've had good results using a splitting maul and/or wedge to split old stumps
down to below ground level. If you split off little chunks at a time, it goes
pretty smoothly.

 



 Sort of dangerous as the natural split does not dry to visibility.
Mauls are meant for cut wood.  And Ax may afford more control but the
best would be to chain saw low.  Premium decision would be forget about
it or hill up with soil if you must.

--
   Bill   Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA
 

 

Poppy27 wrote:

Without knowing the diameter or your stumps and what kind of wood all
anyone can offer is wild speculation.  It would also help to know
where you are and how accessible your stumps... where I live so long
as the stumps are easily accessible I can have someone grind say a 24"
hardwood to below grade for like $100... and like $75 or less for any
additional.  In most cases it doesn't pay to dig out a stump
yourself... of course if you have a few husky pals with big tools and
can afford burgers and bruskies. . .