Tips on getting large stumps out of the ground?

[4570Man]

I think I need to give that more of an effort. Dug completely around it and pretty deep. Just won't budge. Sounds like I just need more persistence

Are you using the rental 306 or your tractor backhoe? That shouldn’t be a hard job for a 306. An excavators strength decrease dramatically with reach. Drive the blade right up to the rootball.

 

[garry1p]

Pine trees have a long deep tap root, you just have to keep digging,otherwise let it rot forever or burn it.

 

[KennyG]

Pine trees have a long deep tap root, you just have to keep digging,otherwise let it rot forever or burn it.

This is a variable depending on the species and location. I've just taken out four old pine trees that were dying. None of them had significant tap roots. I dug around them and pulled them with my little 25 HP John Deere. They weren't huge, 1 to 2 feet in diameter.

With limited power, I've had luck putting tension on with a ratchet hoist to another tree and them lifting and pulling with the tractor.

 

[Runner]

This is doing you no good now, but leaving a taller stump gives you more leverage to pull with on the next one.

 

[Barker806]

Dig Forest dig! You need to break up the soil under the stump. Once you get the stump or rock to wiggle it will come out. Try spinning the stump after you get a bit deeper.

 

[terraformer]

Pour a pile chicken litter or other manure on it and wait a year.

Burn it out.

Cut off flush to ground.

 

[Little Red Tractor]

If you have the space and ONLY if you know what you're doing, the ANFO solution works--but has some built in problems. Filling in the hole can be tough. My grandfather cleared property with dynamite, but that was in the 1930s when you could just buy it at the local hardware store.

 

[TORQUIN]

When I dig stump with my 9' Kubota back hoe, I just keep digging around it until I can lever it around to loosen it up. Sometimes it takes a while. I have only been unsuccessful a couple of times, with 30+ diameter stumps. The tap root varies, depending on the tree species.

Chris

 

[Runner]

When I dig stump with my 9' Kubota back hoe, I just keep digging around it until I can lever it around to loosen it up. Sometimes it takes a while. I have only been unsuccessful a couple of times, with 30+ diameter stumps. The tap root varies, depending on the tree species.

Chris

Once you get that stump moving, even a little bit, you've got it by the azz.

 

[future_vision]

Are you using the rental 306 or your tractor backhoe? That shouldn’t be a hard job for a 306. An excavators strength decrease dramatically with reach. Drive the blade right up to the rootball.

I'm using the 306. Was going to give it a go before work today but time didn't work out. I'll give it a try in the morning,