ELM tree stump- cannot kill it

 Almost 2 years ago, we hired a tree company to cut down  a 60 foot high
Chinese Elm with  24 inch trunk. Remaining stump is 3 inches high which
they filled grooves with chainsaw fuel. They guaranteed this would kill
the stump and prevent any regrowth. Not only has the stump  NOT DIED,
but  constantly produces "hundreds" of new fast growing twigs all year.

Is too costly to have stump killed by grinding  company.
I sure could use suggestions for low cost methods and materials   to
kill this sturdy aggressive stump. The tree  stump and new seedlings
grows very rapidly,  raised and cracked the city sidewalk and now is
producing seedlings all over my property in lawns, flower beds.

Thanks, Dave_s

 

Any tree removal company that could take down a 60' tree would have a stump
grinder... they didn't finish the job... or more likely you chose not to pay
for the complete job.  I'd call them back to grind the stump, should take no
more than 30 minutes tops, but of course now they have to make a whole
'nother trip to haul out their stump grinder, so now instead of the original
$100 it will now cost $300.  Your attempting to remove a 2' diameter
hardwood stump chemically will take like 5+ years.  This is a perfect
example of how the cheap comes out expensive.  Unless you feel like digging
and hacking roots there really is no inexpensive way to remove that stump...
least costly and quickest is to grind it.  You can probably kill it by
applying Roundup over a few days but you'll still have the stump.

 

Try drilling several 1/2 inch holes as deep as you can straight down into
the stump and fill the holes with table salt.
Good luck.
M.Paul

 

Don't forget the freshly ground black pepper... oil and vinegar too! LOL

Actually salt will act as a preservative, same as why salts are used for
pressure treated lumber, salt will kill the composting organisms... and
later will hinder other plants from growing in that spot.  There are wood
digesting proteases/enzymes one can buy to place in the holes, but they
decompose very slowly, need to be reapplied often, and they're not cheap.
If it's a stump one needs to be rid of in a relatively short time the only
method is to remove it mechanically, either dig it up or use a stump
grinder... and usually grinding doesn't remove the entire stump, just brings
it down a few inches below grade to where it can be covered with earth,
you'll still need to wait a couple three years before it fully decomposes.

 wrote:


I cut an elm down 3 years ago.  The first year I kept filling the
holes in the stump with 34-0-0 for a year, then gave up.  The stump is
still there, but grows one of the most delicious mushrooms.  If the
stump ever softens up, I'll take an axe to it.  BTW, the fallen elm
tree helped me create a very nice table with long-grain patterns and
shades of chocolate-colored wood.  The roughsawn stock air-dried
nicely over a period of 2 years.