How best to get rid of all these small stumps.

[airbiscuit]

Sub-Soiler or Ripper on 3pt?

 

[airbiscuit]

Stump Bucket on your Loader?

 

[Deerherd]

I have done a lot of this type work and for the least amount of soil disturbance, I go along with the mini ex with ripper and pluck them out. Works on big stumps too!



I then pick them all up and clean up/pull any roots with my grapple. If I don’t have anything greater than 2-3 inches I can use just the grapple but it’s easier on the equipment using the mini ex. You don’t need one with a cab but you only live once! :thumbsup:

 

[jaxs]

Thoughts on my option. About 500 foot with uncountable numbers from 6" down.View attachment 545823View attachment 545824

If 500 foot means 500 square feet and you can tolerate the stumps for a couple of years,I suggest. Alow stumps to re-sprout and leaf out then spray with 2-4-D to kill roots. Respray as needed until late summer. In late summer,use high Nitrogen fertilizer or stump rot as others have suggested. Most lawn grass suitable for IL are tolerant of 2-4-D so if you can establish grass now,the area will look a little better while waiting for stumps to rot(otherwise,establish grass in the fall). The biggest problem I forsee is avoid hitting stumps while mowing. Wherther you establish grass now or after stumps are gone,grass will need high and often application of nitrogen because rotting stumps will suck out lots of nitrogen.

 

[jcummins]

I have done a lot of this type work and for the least amount of soil disturbance, I go along with the mini ex with ripper and pluck them out. Works on big stumps too!

View attachment 545850

I then pick them all up and clean up/pull any roots with my grapple. If I don’t have anything greater than 2-3 inches I can use just the grapple but it’s easier on the equipment using the mini ex. You don’t need one with a cab but you only live once!

View attachment 545851

Yep...if i only had one. It would be the best tool for this by a wide margin.

 

[jcummins]

Next time try a powered pole saw. I saw some forest workers thinning trees and it looked like they were using small chain saws with a very long bar.

Bruce

Regular chainsaw and a saw just as you described was used to get this far.

 

[Egon]

Sub-Soiler or Ripper on 3pt?

That's the way to go. Make multiple passes.

 

[Thomas]

Quick and easy backhoe of sort,but grapple will do the job just you might have to do some back dragging.

 

[oosik]

If your grapple doesn't work - just wait a couple years - they will rot and become part of the natural vegitation. I thin my baby pine stands with a smaller Stihl chainsaw and leave stumps that are 4" to 6" high. They are dust in three years.

 

[Dadnatron]

I wouldn't waste time... unfortunately, you would have been better off if you had pulled them rather than cut them.

I'd rent as big a stump grinder that you can find. Take a warm weekend, and have at it. Or, as has been said, rent a mini-ex.

You will be fighting them for 10 years, otherwise. There will be 'that one stump' that won't die and won't rot.

You are just going to have to grind them down below grade... or you could always bring in more dirt and raise grade above them.

I'd worry about the wear and tear on your equipment trying to remove them.