Rod Baverstock removing a tree stump with a pretty nifty piece of equipment called a stump grinder.
This is what Catharine had to say about it;
"Ever since I insisted on getting another dog, I've been nagging James to put up a garden fence. Why? Well I don't know whether like cats, dogs are meant to have nine lives but when you are called Lafayette, live next to a main road, are selectively deaf and insist on chasing passers by, your days are bound to be numbered.
The fence issue has become a bit of a domestic red flag. I moan about the lack of a fence and he moans about the untrained dog. And to be fair, the exterior isn't really a high priority when you don't have a bedroom floor. And only one loo. Which will be interesting when my cousin arrives tomorrow for les vacances and there will be nine of us sharing the facilities.
So I was delighted when work got underway on said fence. But then disaster struck in the form of a large and very resistant tree root. The root had to go, but how could we shift it?
Then Rod Baverstock came to the rescue with his amazing stump grinder. A truly impressive bit of kit and the kind of thing all men lust after. Within a couple of hours, the root was gone and I had barrow-loads of top quality mulch for my newly created garden. Result! Now all I need to do is persuade Lafayette to stop digging holes in it...."
Rod does general grounds maintenance as well as removing tree stumps, if you need a hand you can contact him via SFN or the Aquitaine Solutions website here.
If you cannot get all of the tree stump out, then to get rid of tree stumps by drilling holes in the stump and filling them with 100% Epsom salt. Follow with water, and wait. Live stumps may take as long as a month to decay, and start to decompose all by themselves. PS! Do have a look on my Pinterest board 'Garden stuff' well down on the page is the illustration (I've got 525 pins on this board at the moment) PS! If you do not know what Pinterest is, just Google it, type in my full name spelled correctly (as on Pinterest what you are looking for has to be spelled correctly, or things or people will not come up) click on 'Pinners' and I should come up...I have done all my 147 boards alphabetical, so you should be able to find 'Garden stuff' easily lots of info here...good luck... :)
look at first photo... you tie the chain around the tree.... and then attach the other end of the chain to a big tree (or something solid) to use as a base (that won't move) and little by little when you tighten the chain, the tree trunk comes out... quite effective...my hubby is sleeping so I can't ask him the name of the tool...but you can rent it :) we took tons of tree trunks out of our garden that way.... good luck everyone
That is the best way to remove a stump, however why didn't you just fence over the top of it James? Post and rail with vertical palings attached. Much cheaper. As for the toilet issue Catherine could you go eco and get James to dig a dry toilet pit in the rear garden (or use that new hole in the front, that would test peoples eco resolve) I think you can use those wood chippings to cover the .. er ...each time someone goes. In the long term build a little shed over it, even add a polished wooden seat.
Well, there is this 'ere man with this 'ere machine who could, no doubt, do the job, Ron - or, failing that, a good, thorough, old fashioned, thwacking with a mattock might sort out your pit... lol
Is that the sort of American that you'd flog at the sign of the three dangling balls - but m-a-y-b-e buy back later when your stump needs grinding down again, Ron?
Thanks Rod, it's not a big issue, but having manually removed the remains of two old apple trees to make my potager in the springtime, anything that makes life easier....!!
It's good for killing nettles, Carol, and saves the volume on the fosse.
Great machine! Want one! I'm a sucker for machines. In the past we did used to chip a hollow in the top of the stump and leave a soup of sodium chlorate on the hollow for something of a while, ensuring it got wet from time to time. Then, once it had soaked in well, made a little bonfire on top and it would burn the lot out.
Sounds a bit like OH, hens, hen hut and verander. I want (need) a hen hut. OH said he would build one. In the meantime some of the hens have taken to roosting under the verander. Dare he moan - no!
superb....and for the lack of toilet facilities...do what my OH does..and insist on the men at least watering the garden...rather than wasting all that wonderful mineral rich urine!
