Overheard a landscaper in Phoenix call our stump grinding 'overkill'

He was telling a client that for smaller stumps, just drilling holes and filling them with compost speeds up decay naturally. I tried it on a 12-inch oak stump from a removal last fall, and after six months it's already soft enough to break apart with a shovel. Anyone have a good ratio for the compost mix, or is straight compost fine?

3 comments

3 Comments

sage30817d ago

That "overkill" line hits home. I once rented a stump grinder for a weekend and spent more time fixing the thing than actually grinding. Straight compost works for me, but I add some high nitrogen fertilizer to the holes first, like the cheap lawn kind. It gives the bacteria a boost to really eat through the wood. The mix isn't too picky, just keep the holes packed full and moist. My yard looks like a gopher village with all the holes I drill, but it beats wrestling with a machine again.

paigep8517d agoMost Upvoted

Wait, you spent a whole weekend fixing a rental, @sage308?

paige33117d ago

Totally changing my mind on stump removal now.