Frugal Gardening Tip of the Day

Stumped about the stump?  The big tree in the front yard finally succumbed to time, disease, the wind, the driver who came around the bend a little too fast….  Whatever the reason, after the major mess has been cleared away, you are left staring out the window at an ugly stump.  A stump grinding machine is the fastest way, but your budget is on a slower track.

Out-of-date environmentally short-sighted thinking that includes harmful additions of chemicals are simply unacceptable.  ”When you know better you do better.”  We now know better. 

One way to remove the stump is to cut it as close to the ground as possible while the chain saws are still available from the initial clean-up.  Next, using a wide drill bit, drill as many holes as deep as the bit will go, as wide as possible and as many as possible.  Fill the holes with water, then fill with high nitrogen fertilizer.  (45-0-0 NPK rating is best.)  Cover the stump with a heavy plastic tarp to trap moisture.  Top that with an organic mulch or straw.  Thoroughly wet the mulch to keep in place, as well as adding a few rocks or other heavy decorative items if it’s in plain view.  This will trap moisture under the tarp, creating a micro climate that will cause the stump to rot.  Periodically remove the plastic, repeating the application of water and nitrogen rich fertilizer directly to the stump.  Eventually, nature will take its course.  The stump and roots will simply rot away.