Uprooting stumps: Quick and easy ways to clear the work site
When preparing an area for future use, it is often necessary to clear it of stumps and roots left behind after cutting or sawing down trees.
Such cleaning of the area is called uprooting and is carried out in different ways, which are labor-intensive and require different equipment and skills.
Below we will talk about:
- The different types of uprooting;
- their advantages and disadvantages;
- the necessary equipment for each method;
- the complexity of the process.
What is it?
Although today any method of removing stumps from the area being cleared is called digging, it originally meant pulling out the roots.
After all, centuries ago, the word “uproot”, from which the word “uproot” later came from, meant the underground part of the stump, that is, the root.
Now by uprooting is understood different operations are:
- Removing or destroying the aerial part of the stump;
- Removing or destroying the underground part of the stump;
- Removing, extracting, or destroying the roots.
Removing or destroying the aerial portion of the stump is a necessary element of any uprooting procedure, but the underground portion of the stump and the roots that come off it are not always destroyed or removed from the ground.
The thicker and deeper the roots are, the more difficult it is to remove or destroy them. That is why rooting methods have emerged that allow you to do without complicated manipulations, because it is not always necessary to remove not only the stump, but also the roots in the garden.
Methods of stump removal
Here are the main options:
- manual uprooting;
- mechanical uprooting;
- No uprooting.
Manual uprooting
Manual uprooting is used when for some reason you cannot use machinery, open fire or chemicals.
To do this, the stump and root system are dug deep enough, then the roots are cut and the stump is pulled out with a crowbar, cable winch or tractor.
Sometimes even jacks are used for this purpose.
The main disadvantages of this method are the large amount of work and the roots remaining in the ground. Only physically strong people should perform such work independently, otherwise excessive stress can seriously affect your health.
In addition, manual uprooting is not suitable for getting rid of plants affected by root diseases, because most of the roots and the pathogens living in them remain in the soil.
Mechanically
Mechanical uprooting is the removal of tree stump and roots using a variety of, mostly construction equipment such as:
- wheeled and tracked tractors;
- bulldozer;
- loader;
- excavators;
- heavy trucks.
Both standard devices and devices with additional attachments installed are used for mechanical digging.
Often the same tractor or excavator can perform several types of mechanical uprooting, for which it is sufficient to install the appropriate attachments.
That’s why even employees with rooting equipment installed on them are often referred to as stock pickers. Below we briefly review the types of mechanical rooters.
Rooting with a backhoe
This is the most popular way to quickly and effortlessly uproot a mulberry tree, which removes not only it, but also most of the large roots.
The excavator digs up the underground part of the shoot, including the top of the root system, then trims the roots left in the ground and pulls the awn out by picking it up with a bucket.
The excavator is also very effective in clearing the area of a developed surface root system – it absorbs the root and pulls it out over a fairly large area. The disadvantage of the method is the dependence of the excavator’s work on good access roads and strong disturbance of the soil structure.
With the help of a tractor
This method is most often used when clearing an area of small accumulations. The bulldozer rests against a tree or stump and knives it out of the ground.
Trucks or heavy jeeps can also be used to replace the wind in manual uprooting, but tractors, particularly tracked tractors, are more effective because they create more drainage force at a lower speed with the same measure.
The main advantage of this method is the ability to impact the cul-de-sac remotely, as the tractor is tens or hundreds of meters away if the length of the cable/chain allows.
Loosening
This feeding method is used when removing out-of-town schemes with a tractor or bulldozer that has a collector, i.e., a polygon with spoils that loosen the soil. In addition, front and rear rippers, which are also mounted on a wheeled or tracked tractor, are used for ripping.
Most rippers and headers penetrate the soil by 20-60 cm, so they are used to remove the top horizontal roots that pose a threat to plowing equipment.
If such a root hangs on the harrow or plough, there is a high probability of damage to the tool, and in particularly serious cases, the tractor frame can be damaged.
Using a Lever System
Loosening with a linkage is very similar to loosening. Only the main force is not created by the wheels or tracked tractor, but by a cable or hydraulic drive.
The extraction is made in the form of a lever, the short arm of which rests against the blunt and reliably repairs it due to the shape of the tip, the base is attached to the frame, and the hydraulic or cable drive acts on the long arm.
The drive force is multiplied by the difference in arm length, so the lifting span is tens of tons, which allows you to pull even large stumps out of the ground. This arrangement works especially well in stockyards, so that a large or several small stumps can be pulled out at the same time.
Using the jaw picker
A jaw picker is an attachment for excavators, cranes and loaders that is used to pull stumps and young trees out of the ground.
The effectiveness of the fence depends directly on the weight/power of the excavator and the condition of the wood.
If the stumps are rotted, the jaws will pull them apart but cannot pull them out of the ground. If the excavator or crane is too light or too low, it will not be able to pull the deadwood out.
For this reason, this method of connecting is not widely used, as it is largely inferior to an excavator bucket.
Shred
Despite the fact that these devices do not pull deadwood and roots out of the ground, but grind them into dust, the chipper still refers to the mounted root-cutting equipment.
The root cutters are based on the method of destroying wood in:
- Disk;
- Drum;
- Rotary.
Pinch cutters are made in the form of a steel disc with a thickness of 1 to 3 cm, on sharp teeth (knife) of steel or hard alloys with a high line.
Such a disc is good for breaking down the above-ground part of the wood, but it quickly loses its gravity when in contact with the floor.
Drums are made as a rotating tube (drum) on which rounded hard alloy teeth are mounted.
The rounded teeth not only endure without damage to the floor, but also to stones, so they are often used for the destruction of stumps and roots on stony soils.
Rotary grinders come in shapes:
The drill comes in the form of a shaft with cutting plates and a cone drill mounted on the end.
Cylindrical drill is made in the form of a tube (cylinder) with scoops on the sides, at the end of which a round cutter is installed.
There is also a rotary grinder in the form of a crown-wave with a round cutter on the end. You can read more about the design of the different crushers and shredders, as well as their functions, in this article.
No spin.
If manual or mechanical spinning methods are not applicable, blunt and root kill:
- chemicals;
- fire;
- Explosion.
You can find more information about each of these methods here.
Chemical reagents.
These methods of destroying wood waste are used when other methods are not appropriate for some reason and the process can take several years.
The most popular reagents are:
- Potassium and ammonia nitrate;
- Urea;
- Copper and iron sulfate;
- Hydrochloric salt.
Each of the reagents has a special effect on wood, so you can choose the one that is more suitable for a particular situation.
For example, Saltpetre is good for fighting root diseases, as wood soaked in it even burns underground.
Loam loosens the wood and fills it with beneficial substances, while table salt and vitriol stop root growth so they don’t produce young shoots in the spring. See this article for more information on reagents and their uses.
Fire
Used only where heavy equipment or wind cannot be used, and there are no restrictions on the use of open fire.
This method of uprooting is most often used during the removal of sections of gardens and vegetable gardens that are away from trees or buildings.
The subterranean part of the blunt and roots are dug up for burning, then they are covered with wood and set on fire.
Plants can be planted in the hole immediately after the wood is burned. The disadvantage of this method is the need to strictly comply with the provisions of the various regulations we have discussed here. Otherwise, there is a high probability of getting a large fine.
Explosion
Blasting tattles are used when laying roads, as they can be used to quickly clear the ground of wood debris.
In this case, the change in the structure of the soil is insignificant, as part of the dissolved soil is removed during the preparatory work, and the other is compacted.
The main disadvantage of this method is the mandatory involvement of a specialist who knows how to store and use explosives.
Explosion without such a specialist not only poses a serious danger to workers, but may also be grounds for a criminal case, so that this method is not widespread.
How to clear a garden plot quickly and easily?
The degree of physical effort required to diet a cul-de-sac is proportional to the mechanization of the process.
Therefore, manual deadheading is a very difficult and time-consuming process.
After all, not only do you need to dig a hole for the wooden base, but also to dig out the roots, for which sometimes you have to act with a shovel in extremely unpleasant positions.
Then you have to chop the roots while avoiding injury from a bounced axe. You cannot save some of the roots at the same time, and you have to cut them in an unpleasant position with a hacksaw.
Stump removal by fire is not used everywhere, and the effect of reagents lasts for several years. Therefore, to quickly uproot stumps that do not require huge efforts, it is necessary to use expensive professional equipment.
Due to the high cost of such devices, you should apply only to construction, repair or supply companies. In this article, we told you how the cost of their services is formed depending on the amount of work and the way in which you need to uproot the stumps on the plot.
Where to dispose of the extracted waste?
Timber extracted from the ground is a valuable material from which you can produce:
- Firewood, including for barbecues; ; ; ; ; ;
- Various crafts, including furniture.
Conclusion
The uprooting of stumps is a difficult and complex job that requires either tremendous physical effort or the use of special devices or technology.
Simple ways to uproot stumps on the website
Dacha owners and personal actions often have to reduce old trees. After that, the stumps take up space and interfere with the processing of beds. To get rid of it, you can call specialists, who have special devices and tools. But many gardeners prefer to do it themselves, using temporary methods.
Preparatory work for stump removal
There are two common methods of stump removal: mechanical and physical. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, but what is common is that some preparation must be done to make stump removal go faster.
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Water the floor well around the stump. In a measure from the very base, lower the bayonet with so that it enters to a depth of at least 30 cm. Each root should be carefully exposed. Gradually deepen and widen the hole.
To make it easier to dig around the roots, sprinkle them well with water.
Rinse the roots from the soil and consider the width of the root system.
How to remove stumps mechanically
The most popular and fastest method of uprooting is mechanical. It may involve the use of:
- Tractors;
- Rooting machines;
- Tools at hand.
Using a tractor to uproot stumps
The uprooting of stumps is facilitated and accelerated by machinery: a tractor or bulldozer with a special attachment for removing roots. This method is especially good if you are removing several stumps, need to uproot an old garden or remove forest plantings where construction work is later accepted.
A tractor or bulldozer quickly removes the largest stumps, even
For the use of heavy transport equipment, there is an important condition R – to provide access to the remote stumps and enough space to work. The stump should be tied with a rope, the other end of which is attached to the tractor, and simply pulled out of the ground.
Throw the end of the rope over the stump, fasten it well, and then the tractor will do everything itself.
If you have a large stump with strong roots, you need to use a Caterpillar tractor. Remember that it disturbs the top layer of soil, and with it – beds, flowerbeds and elements of landscaping.
Advantages and disadvantages of using a tractor: table
| advantages | disadvantages |
| Suitable for a large number of stumps in the open area of the plot. | The bulky tractor can destroy the landscape area and decorative elements. |
| The method allows you to remove outdated irrational garden with the reputation of special devices to reduce the cost of removing each stump. | The powerful tractor dramatically pulls the stump out of the ground, while the roots of other trees growing nearby may be affected. |
| New trees can be planted in the holes cleared of the stump. | High cost of stump removal. |
| An uprooted stump leaves a large support hole that must be filled with soil and leveled |
How to use a salvage machine
For uprooting stumps it is very convenient to use the uprooting machine – a device of small size, no bigger than a garden wheelbarrow. It is easy to move around the site and even carry it from one tree to another. Such a machine is indispensable when it is necessary to remove several individual stumps between healthy trees, or there is not enough space on the garden plot to maneuver large technical means.
PETT is an easy-to-use stump removal machine
How the machine works when chopping and splitting wood. If you plan to use the Predator, cut the stump as low as possible, preferably on the ground. Split particularly large, large diameter specimens into several segments to make it easier. The machine turns the wood into sawdust, and the resulting hole just need to be covered with earth and then used for seedbeds.
Note! The best short time is winter. The wood, soaked in moisture, will collapse from frost. This will make sawing and sanding much easier.
Advantages and disadvantages of the band saw Pred – table
| advantages | disadvantages |
| Fast and orderly process, the use of which does not violate the integrity and character of the site and its landscaping. | Small working depth of crushing – no more than 30 cm, which makes it difficult to carry out construction work and plant large trees on the site. |
| The equipment is easily delivered to the remains of the tree. | |
| The machine Premium allows you to set the necessary parameters of the depth and diameter of wood chopping and crushing and control them in the process of work. | The method is not suitable for sites after construction – construction debris can disable equipment that needs to be compensated. |
| The chipper’s uprooting of the stump leaves only wood chips, which can simply be digged up along with the soil on the site. |
Manual Stump Removal
The services of a tractor and other equipment are expensive, and buying an ambulance for one use is also unprofitable. You can remove stumps up to 20 cm in diameter by yourself.
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Do the preparatory work: dig the soil around the stump, wash it and trim the roots.
Make sure you cut all the roots before digging out the stump by hand.
Use the crowbar as a lever to push the stump up and pull it out.
Pulling stumps by hand is a time-consuming task, so you may need the help of friends or neighbors from outside. Also, this method is not suitable if you have massive stumps of large diameter on your property.
Advantages and disadvantages of manual uprooting – table
| advantages | disadvantages |
| Simple approach to each stump. | Physical complexity of execution and impossibility of implementation in winter due to frozen soil. |
| The possibility of removing the stump and its root system. | |
| Absolute harmlessness to the soil, which can be treated to grow plants. |
Video instruction: Mechanical removal of the stump with wind
Chemical product for removing the stump
If it is not possible to uproot the stump with the methods described above, you can use chemicals. However, this method will take a long time.
The most popular for destroying the remains of trees is the use of potassium nitrate. Start applying this method in the fall.
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Prepare the stump for uprooting. To do this, it is necessary to cut it close to the base and drill vertical holes in it. The diameter should be 5-6 cm, the depth should be 30-35 cm. Calculate their number according to the scheme: 1 hole per 10 cm diameter of the stump.
Several holes should be drilled in the thuja.
After the winter, light the deadwood and wait until it burns through.
Note! If you burn a stump, don’t forget to follow safety rules: check the burning place and have water or sand at the ready. If your area is in a swamp, do not use this method, as it can cause a fire that will be difficult to eliminate.
By the way, you can also do without the stump. The effect is the same, only instead of potassium you need to use ammonium nitrate or urea. This substance is also injected into the wood, and the stump is wrapped in polyethylene. After 2 years, the tree will be completely decomposed, and you will not have to burn it or uproot it.
Advantages and disadvantages of chemical decomposition of wood – table
| advantages | disadvantages |
| Low cost and easy to implement, without neighboring plants or the appearance of the site. | Long process, lasting 2-3 years, which results in the destruction of the thuja and its roots. It also severely degrades the soil, which can fall out of rotation for several years. |
| The entire stump is destroyed, as well as its rhizomes. |
Video: How to remove a stump with nitrate
Biological method: how mushrooms destroy the stump
Nature itself will help you get rid of unwanted objects on the plot, if you help her. Using mushrooms is not as popular in destroying stumps, but it is very effective. You can also provide yourself with fresh, tasty mushrooms.
Make several deep incisions in the stump around the circumference and fill them with mushroom mycelium, such as mushrooms or oyster mushrooms. You can buy it in a store for gardeners and vegetable growers or order it online. Mushrooms will grow fast enough if you use wood to feed the mycelium and thereby destroy the deadhead along with the roots.
Mushrooms planted on a stump will end up on old wood in 2-3 years.
This method should not be resorted to quickly. A small stump will fall apart in a year, a more massive one will take 2-3 years. But it is environmentally friendly, and if you have it in no hurry, over the years you will learn how to breed mushrooms and maybe finally turn it into your own little business. Or master new mushroom dishes. Either way, the benefits are obvious.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the “mushroom” method – a table
| advantages | disadvantages |
| Completely biological process without the use of chemicals, which does not require significant effort and financial costs. | The duration of the process, which can take 2-3 years. |
| Adult mushrooms can be eaten. | Dangerous if the fungus infects other nearby trees. |
Now you can choose the stump removal method that is most suitable for you and your garden. You should consider factors such as the speed and cost of the method, advantages and disadvantages. Making the right choice, save your dacha and the fertile soil on it.
- Author: Svetlana Grishkina
Good afternoon, my name is Svetlana. For me this page has become not only an additional source of income, but also an opportunity to share my knowledge of housekeeping with you.
