Planting next to a stump.

[NewGen]

Before the tropical fruit tree bug bit me, I had a cherry tree and nectarine tree. Both have been so unproductive, I cut them down recently. How/should I remove everything before planting a new tree at that location? Can I just plant next/near the stump? Doesn't look like an easy job pulling up the trunk and roots.

[gnappi]

I have a similar situation. I cut down an avo and have a mango within 2' of the stump. It's done well but I'm considering killing the mango and putting a third mango near the two stumps. I was going to have the stumps ground but I figure the stumps will rot and the new tree will find paths through the roots down.

Seven years ago I had many palms removed and the root balls stayed in the ground. I planted a peach, loquat and mango over the root balls and all have done very well.

[NewGen]

Gary,
I'm thinking of cutting up as many of the larger roots as I can, and I think there are some chemical products that can be applied onto the stump to kill it, that way suckers won't sprout up. Don't think I want to risk hurting my back trying to pull up everything.
Trung

[naturelover]

Cant you pull it out- dig around an break up the roots an get under it as much as possible- then pull with an atv or something... it doesn't look that big

[WGphil]

Dig hole around tree.   Then get under it a bit.  Put pruning blade on sawszall and cut off tap root.  You can use the trunk you left to pull the tree one way and the other.  Lean and cut off roots in all directions and it should come right up   No stump. 

Cherry wood in the smoker is nice. 

[Finca La Isla]

Here I would plant next to the stump.  Personally, I wouldn't apply something to kill the stump either.  It might end up effecting the new plant.  Any new growth on the stump should be simply cut off as soon as possible and it will give up.  The slow decomposing of the stump and its root system will provide benefits for the new plant.
Peter

[gnappi]

Here I would plant next to the stump.  Personally, I wouldn't apply something to kill the stump either.  It might end up effecting the new plant.  Any new growth on the stump should be simply cut off as soon as possible and it will give up.  The slow decomposing of the stump and its root system will provide benefits for the new plant.
Peter

Yup, I dug around the palm stumps recently and they decomposed deep in the ground to a much better overall situation than the pure sand that was there.

[stuartdaly88]

If you get gandoderma spore dowels and drill them into stumps I'm sure it would speed decomposition?
Barring.that maybe putting a plastic tarp over the stump and wetting it whenever you water would also speed things up?

[johnb51]

Really it looks like a little digging should enable you to remove the stump.  Don't be lazy.

[zands]

I cut down a tree that left me with a 6" diameter stump which is larger than what you have. I cut the stump flush with the ground. I am just going to let that rot on its own, stump and roots and all. I planted a new mango tree two feet away.

If you want to remove those stumps you have to dig around them best you can with a pick-axe. Then go in there with a garden hose with a narrow nozzle attached. You can wash the dirt away from the roots to find them. Then snip the roots with a lopper. Actually you can do this on just one side of the tree..... because you can pull it out from the side you did not snip the roots

Then uproot the stump. Pulling it out with a tow rope attached to you vehicle. You need to have a place to attach it to. I do and have done this with my Toyota automobile.

You have lots of leverage to pull them out with an automobile because you left such high "stumps"

[johnb51]

zands, look at the photos again.  Those are not big stumps.   I doubt that he would need a vehicle to pull them out.

[BENDERSGROVE]

Fairchild gardens at the Williams Grove where they grow fruit plants trees next to old stumps with no ill effects.

[fyliu]

Stumps look healthy so no need to worry about diseases transferring to new trees. That's pretty much the only thing I worry about.

Don't put mushroom spores in non-dead wood. Living plants have defenses against such situations and you're wasting effort.

Don't put stump killers since those are likely petroleum based and maybe not good for other plants, even though petroleum came from ancient dead trees.

Just cut to the ground. Maybe make a BBQ pit there when fire dangers have passed. Maybe not a good idea if you've already planted the new trees.

[zands]

zands, look at the photos again.  Those are not big stumps.   I doubt that he would need a vehicle to pull them out.

True but why dig and dig with pick axe when it can be uprooted on one side with a suitable truck or automobile. Of course if the stump is far from the road, where a car cannot reach it then you have to dig it out manually. Or forget stump removal, just cut flush to the ground and plant next to it like (Bender) Fairchild gardens does. If its good enough for them it is good enough for me

[Waterfall]

Those are only small stumps, I would just dig them out.

[OCchris]

NewGen, i agree with WGphil- thats maybe 20-40 minutes of work with a sharp shovel/pick ax. I have dug up larger trees AND transplanted them so ripping out that small stump would be fairly easy. I would just dig it so that there is a (roughly) 3 ft. diameter hole so you can put in a nice sized tree. Also, if the area is dry-make it moist...it will make your job easier. Good luck, Chris

[bsbullie]

Do not compare digging a fruit tree out compared to digging an old palm tree out.  Totally different type of root system.

Digging that out should be fairly easy however if you do, mske sure you backfill the area fully with no air pockets.  With that being said,  you will have little issues planting next to it as is...well, i would cut the stump lower to the ground first.

[StPeteMango]

The stumps in the photos are too small to worry about. I'd cut they down further, and cut off any new growth they try to send up. Then dig a hole 3-4 feet wide and 2-3 feet deep, backfill and plant in the middle of that. Digging that diameter and depth should help you clear roots from that space at least, allowing the new trees some room to grow. The old stump will rot away and feed the soil.
I had a big but diseased maple cut down earlier this year. The diameter of the stump is about 2 feet. Planted an avo close to it after digging/chopping up as many of the large roots as I could. Some are left, but they are far enough away that it will take the avo a few years to send its own roots that far.

[franciscu]

One way to look at those old stumps is to see that nature is providing you with some free 'hugelkultur'....

[greenman62]

drill some holes in it, and put in some mushroom plugs.
the fungi will help break it down.
i would use 2 or more species, you may have to research which is best.

you can add nitrogen on top also (urine works)

i had a couple of trees i had cut down in my yard.
it took over 5 years, but, it produced the best soil / growing medium i could have hoped for.
everything i planted there took off.
the decaying wood, and channels left by the roots
provided air and water pathways, habitat for worms, and lots of broken down material

[stuartdaly88]

drill some holes in it, and put in some mushroom plugs.
the fungi will help break it down.
i would use 2 or more species, you may have to research which is best.

you can add nitrogen on top also (urine works)

i had a couple of trees i had cut down in my yard.
it took over 5 years, but, it produced the best soil / growing medium i could have hoped for.
everything i planted there took off.
the decaying wood, and channels left by the roots
provided air and water pathways, habitat for worms, and lots of broken down material

I'm thinking as a long range project is there any tree that would grow super fast with minimal effort that i can do this with?
I'm thinking to convert a large area of poor soil say like an acre? Would this be the cheapest way to amend the soil? Grow the species for a few years then slowly start cutting down and planting a edible producing tree next to it. Eventually like in 10 years you have a whole orchard with much better soil. Or would this be a poor idea?

[franciscu]

drill some holes in it, and put in some mushroom plugs.
the fungi will help break it down.
i would use 2 or more species, you may have to research which is best.

you can add nitrogen on top also (urine works)

i had a couple of trees i had cut down in my yard.
it took over 5 years, but, it produced the best soil / growing medium i could have hoped for.
everything i planted there took off.
the decaying wood, and channels left by the roots
provided air and water pathways, habitat for worms, and lots of broken down material

I'm thinking as a long range project is there any tree that would grow super fast with minimal effort that i can do this with?
I'm thinking to convert a large area of poor soil say like an acre? Would this be the cheapest way to amend the soil? Grow the species for a few years then slowly start cutting down and planting a edible producing tree next to it. Eventually like in 10 years you have a whole orchard with much better soil. Or would this be a poor idea?

Moringa may be a candidate for that. It grows fast, cuts easy, goes like butter through a chipper-shredder, and the logs rot and turn spongy VERY quickly. Plus you get all the nutrition in the moringa leaves and seed pods.

[stuartdaly88]

drill some holes in it, and put in some mushroom plugs.
the fungi will help break it down.
i would use 2 or more species, you may have to research which is best.

you can add nitrogen on top also (urine works)

i had a couple of trees i had cut down in my yard.
it took over 5 years, but, it produced the best soil / growing medium i could have hoped for.
everything i planted there took off.
the decaying wood, and channels left by the roots
provided air and water pathways, habitat for worms, and lots of broken down material

I'm thinking as a long range project is there any tree that would grow super fast with minimal effort that i can do this with?
I'm thinking to convert a large area of poor soil say like an acre? Would this be the cheapest way to amend the soil? Grow the species for a few years then slowly start cutting down and planting a edible producing tree next to it. Eventually like in 10 years you have a whole orchard with much better soil. Or would this be a poor idea?

Moringa may be a candidate for that. It grows fast, cuts easy, goes like butter through a chipper-shredder, and the logs rot and turn spongy VERY quickly. Plus you get all the nutrition in the moringa leaves and seed pods.

Moringa sounds awesome if this idea is a viable idea!
Useful in and of itself and so super easy to propergate

[greenman62]

drill some holes in it, and put in some mushroom plugs.
the fungi will help break it down.
i would use 2 or more species, you may have to research which is best.

you can add nitrogen on top also (urine works)

i had a couple of trees i had cut down in my yard.
it took over 5 years, but, it produced the best soil / growing medium i could have hoped for.
everything i planted there took off.
the decaying wood, and channels left by the roots
provided air and water pathways, habitat for worms, and lots of broken down material

I'm thinking as a long range project is there any tree that would grow super fast with minimal effort that i can do this with?
I'm thinking to convert a large area of poor soil say like an acre? Would this be the cheapest way to amend the soil? Grow the species for a few years then slowly start cutting down and planting a edible producing tree next to it. Eventually like in 10 years you have a whole orchard with much better soil. Or would this be a poor idea?

moringa would be a good choice.
i had a couple die on me, and the material is spongey
twigs will snap with 2 fingers. it breaks down very easily.
lots of nutrients as well.

i would use a few varieties though. maybe some nitrogen fixers.
locust comes to mind. Siberian pea... they wont break down as fast,
but you can chop+drop branches for mulch.

i think a cheap way to amend the soil
would be something like alfalfa
sunflowers should be fairly cheap for a pound of seed
and they are great for the soil, bring worms in...
as does mustard and radish.

google "cover crop" and mustard, or sunflower etc...
or, put it in youtube... lots of info there on cover crops.

[stuartdaly88]

drill some holes in it, and put in some mushroom plugs.
the fungi will help break it down.
i would use 2 or more species, you may have to research which is best.

you can add nitrogen on top also (urine works)

i had a couple of trees i had cut down in my yard.
it took over 5 years, but, it produced the best soil / growing medium i could have hoped for.
everything i planted there took off.
the decaying wood, and channels left by the roots
provided air and water pathways, habitat for worms, and lots of broken down material

I'm thinking as a long range project is there any tree that would grow super fast with minimal effort that i can do this with?
I'm thinking to convert a large area of poor soil say like an acre? Would this be the cheapest way to amend the soil? Grow the species for a few years then slowly start cutting down and planting a edible producing tree next to it. Eventually like in 10 years you have a whole orchard with much better soil. Or would this be a poor idea?

moringa would be a good choice.
i had a couple die on me, and the material is spongey
twigs will snap with 2 fingers. it breaks down very easily.
lots of nutrients as well.

i would use a few varieties though. maybe some nitrogen fixers.
locust comes to mind. Siberian pea... they wont break down as fast,
but you can chop+drop branches for mulch.

i think a cheap way to amend the soil
would be something like alfalfa
sunflowers should be fairly cheap for a pound of seed
and they are great for the soil, bring worms in...
as does mustard and radish.

google "cover crop" and mustard, or sunflower etc...
or, put it in youtube... lots of info there on cover crops.

Awesome thank you!
This idea has me excited as it seems alot more cost effective than bringing in material if you don't mind taking a few years