Looking for some advice on the cost of conifer stump removal.

I have hacked down the conifers and removed the conifer debris.

All that is left are three small(ish) stumps, unfortunately I don’t have the strength and energy to dig them out.

Looked on the internet and see that a chainsaw and a stump removal machine would complete this. Access to the conifers is quite easy.

I,m guessing , but would have thought about two hours maximum for someone with the knowledge and correct equipment.

Drill some holes in the top, put stump killer in to make absolutely sure, and just let them rot naturally. If you have access to an electric chainsaw then trimming the stumps down as close to the ground would help stop them be a hindrance.

We want to get them removed to enable re planting with plants.

The stump root system won’t really help with the longer term rotting approach.

Hire a mini digger for the day

Mattock.

Get strong.

I bloody love digging trees out. Its Its  a puzzle.

You can hire portable stump grinders from HSS and the like, if you do it at weekend it will be cheaper.

err. If the OP has not got the ‘strength and energy’ to dig the stumps out, he is going to have a bit of a job hanging onto and operating a bastid stump grinder!

Big boys toys.

Dangerous in the wrong hands.

Get somebody in.

Yep, not to confident with using a chainsaw or the stump grinder.

Looks like you need to know what you are doing to avoid an A&E visit 😄

Stump grinder folk will be anything from 100 to 200 quid depending on area/competition. It’s well worth it.

Cheers, 100 to 200 seems worthwhile.

You will have a large pile of spongy soil/chippings to dispose of and a hole to fill so order plenty of topsoil! Nowt will grow in the mulch that the grinder produces and it doesn’t compact. You could compost it but that will take a while. We had three Oak stumps ground out 2 years ago and I’m still dealing with the consequences in one spot!

May be dependant on your soil, we have sandy soil and the 6 big sycamores I had taken away didn’t didn’t give me any issues, basically raked the ground flat and turfed.

Just as an aside there are very few conifers which will grow back once cut down, Monkey Puzzle and a very few others, so don’t waste money on stump killer if unnecessary.

Bullnose Shovel

Demolition Spike

and a Mattock/Adze

House brick or stone.

Get digging 🙂 Get Fit 🙂

+you’ll have decent tools in your kit bag.

@joshvegas

Great feeling getting stumps out by hand. None have defeated me yet, in 48 years.

Using a sledge on concrete slabs is also somewhat satisfying as well…but that might be considered weird.

Tractor and chain if access is good enough.

Depends on the size and access.
Hiring someone with a commercial stump grinder probably gives the best balance of cost/time/finish.

Digging out, or if not too much depth is required, burning the brash on the stumps would be the alternative.

I used one of these to remove a couple of rows of leylandii. Not much effort required if you anchor it to the next stump or something that’s not going to shift easily. Plasterboard stab saw for the roots and jobs a good un.

Ratchet Puller

Had a lovely afternoon a good few years ago removing a big tree stump in our garden with help from the neighbours on either side.

Land Rover and chains, mattocks and some beer too. It came free, then we had a bonfire.

Then one neighbour guy who’d helped a lot died the next morning.

As said above you won’t grow new plants successfully in the debris a stump grinder makes  , either use a mattock and bar – around £50.00 . Start digging a lot wider than you think and take your time or put the money towards getting a small digger and driver in .

How long does the tree stump killer stuff take? What’s the best one to go for?

I’ve got 7 x Ø 6-8″ stumps to get rid of..

Invest in this post hole digger..

https://www.screwfix.com/p/roughneck-17lb-post-hole-digger/62496?tc=NB8&ds_kid=92700019779864513&ds_rl=1249484&ds_rl=1245250&gclid=CjwKCAjw2rjcBRBuEiwAheKeL89i3X3UO_ERIU6Fy2J__Efyp_YlEuAkt1ymYXxP6XobtUTVtdGAcxoCe6wQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CN6Pys_woN0CFemHUQodrTQP-g

Its quite hard work but with a bit of effort smashes through roots

Thanks, that mattock and monster bar from screwfix look the business.

Think we will have go at the stumps armed with these tools, sure to induce some beer drinking thirst and many brownies points if I can manage to get the stumps removed.

I’ll start with the small one first.

Definitely worth a go, worst case scenario, you’ll have some ideal trail building tools….. 😏

I’ve got one of the B&Q bars , only £25.00 . Mines done a lot of work includinc plenty of conifer stumps.

https://www.diy.com/departments/magnusson-steel-aligning-bar-l-60/1782809_BQ.prd

I’ve always used a proper (felling) axe rather than a mattock, but haven’t had very stony ground to cope with.

Paid £200 a couple of weeks back to have 5 cut down, removed and their stumps ground out.

Thanks, that mattock and monster bar from screwfix look the business.

Think we will have go at the stumps armed with these tools, sure to induce some beer drinking thirst and many brownies points if I can manage to get the stumps removed.

I’ll start with the small one first.

Yay!

Its great. You’ll wish you cut the trees about a meter off the ground when you start 😂

Plasterboard saw is a great shout.

Greybeard how did you dig with felling axe?!

<p>

Invest in this post hole digger..

</p><p>AKA the Spear of Longinus</p><p></p><p>They are beasts for sure, mine pried out huge boulders three quarters buried in clay whilst digging post holes. Was a wise investment.</p>

My bar is known affectionately as Brunhilde.

Brilliant things for this job. Most of the village seem to have used it at some point. That and a mattock make the whole job a lot more pleasurable.

I’ve got 3 enormous leylandii to take, but putting it off as don’t want to lose the screening from the kids play area behind us, and it’ll be tricky to get stuff growing now they’ve sucked the life out of the soil!

Greybeard how did you dig with felling axe?

I cut the roots with the axe, and dug with a spade, I’ve never used a mattock so could be wrong, but it looks less effective at cutting than an axe and less effective at digging than a spade.

You’ll wish you cut the trees about a meter off the ground when you start

+1

Bullnose Shovel

Demolition Spike

and a Mattock/Adze

House brick or stone.

This – I had a row of 30yr old laurel stumps (about 10 in total) to dig out. I felt right manly like digging out stumps that weighed up to around 50kg each.

Picked up the bludgeoning tools this morning fronScrewfix.

will have a go at it soon, surely this is thirsty work and will require some beer?

Landscaping is an opportunity to make money.

Contact your local cross fit gym, lay down the challenge and have a leader board.

Charge a tenner each for the ‘session’ and you’ll make some money and have the stumps out in no time.

Need soil to back fill? Same time next week boys?

Just an update.

Have removed two of the three conifers with the tools that were suggested.

Lots of digging, heaving, thumping and general bloody mindedness, last one will be tackled soon.

Thanks for all the advice.

I removed 12 conifers from my garden last year – yes, i had practically zero natural daylight!

I left around 6ft of trunk attached, made levering the stumps out much much easier, course doesn’t help the OP

…getting rid of the pile of conifer (which was practically same size as my house) was the biggest headache, lots of trips to the tip, and a bonfire every night for a couple of weeks

Felt sooo good to get rid of them

I’ve never used a mattock so could be wrong, but it looks less effective at cutting than an axe and less effective at digging than a spade.

You should give it a go.

You’re pretty much right but missed tthe point.

It breaks the ground, cut the root and digs out the earth. All at once.

Yep, the mattock was / is very useful.

Breaks the earth up whilst cutting and finding the roots at the same time.

For the more difficult roots we used the monster bar and hit it with a sledge hammer.