Thursday 14 September 2017

Stumped

I have removed a few trees from the garden over the years, and as a result I have some stumps scattered about.  They lurk in the grass, and the longer the grass the more they lurk.  This can be a problem for the mower.  I more or less know where they are, and if I am alert, I can lift the mower blades as I approach, and no harm is done.  Sometimes however, I'm not alert, I'm drifting off into daydreams, and forget to compensate for the stumps.  This can result in a noise like a lawn mower imitating a chain saw, a sudden jolting stop, or the need to repair the mower before I can carry on cutting the lawn.

I saw a product in the garden centre the other day, that promised effective stump removal.  You drill holes in the stump, pour in this chemical, drench the ensemble with paraffin, and set fire to it all.  The stumps are then supposed to turn to ashes over the next couple of days.   Since I want to remove the stumps and also enjoy setting fire to things, there was nothing not to like.  Did it work?  Judge for yourself.  These pics show two different stumps after the treatment.


The second one is a bit better cooked that the first one that is hardly touched but it was sell rotted beforehand.   They still represent a hazard to dreamy mowers.  If I was a politician I could call it a partial success.   I suppose the torrential thunderstorm didn't help.

6 comments:

CherryPie said...

I think you need to find a different way for the stump to be removed. We have one in our front lawn. I think perhaps it needs to be dug out/cut off below the lawn surface.

Mark In Mayenne said...

Hi Cherie, I did have a guy with a big digger try to get it out (he was here for another reason) but he failed. I think that the electric jackhammer is my next option.

Timbotoo said...

I have had some, but not a lot of, success digging a hole around the stump and then using a chainsaw to cut the stump below ground level. You can get through a lot of chains with this method.

James Higham said...

"I have some stumps scattered about. They lurk in the grass, and the longer the grass the more they lurk."

Adore it.

Mark In Mayenne said...

I do have a big nasty electric jackhammer. Maybe that will be able to cut through the roots. I too have worn out a lot of chainsaws by getting too close to the dirt that very quickly wears them down.

Amfortas said...

Yes, torrential rain can put a dampener where you need a good smoldering. Perhaps a local peasant might have a French Country way.

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