Stumps in plot??

[Foggy47]

!5 years ago.....I rented a few stump grinders to open some trails and plots at my land. I rented both Vermeer and Rayco brands with similar 25 HP gas engines and similar controls. I walked alongside the grinder but they were self propelled. They worked pretty good.....and my wife and I ground a few hundred pine stumps with these grinders. The results were perhaps 100/ day with these grinders.

The condition of the teeth varied from one rental to the next. The Rayco seemed superior in most cases......but both could vary depending on the newness of those teeth. For me....the rental bills were growing and the Woods TSG50 3 Point Grinder was new on the market....and my aspirations for more plots grew. I bought the Woods and ground stumps for a few years. IIRC I could grind as many as 500 / full day of those low sheared 14" pine stumps. Usually after a few hundred I'd do other things as looking over your shoulder for extended periods was hard duty. I've long ago lost count.....but I'd guess my total stump count to be 3500 to 4000 stumps to date.

Can you imagine the piles of dug-out stumps I would have had to deal with? I know lots of folks claim dozing em out is the way to go.....but I maintain grinding has been better for me. Proof......and they are gone. No other digging or burying involved. Hardwoods could be a whole other deal tho. Those oak stumps are hard on equipment and take far more time.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

!5 years ago.....I rented a few stump grinders to open some trails and plots at my land. I rented both Vermeer and Rayco brands with similar 25 HP gas engines and similar controls. I walked alongside the grinder but they were self propelled. They worked pretty good.....and my wife and I ground a few hundred pine stumps with these grinders. The results were perhaps 100/ day with these grinders.

The condition of the teeth varied from one rental to the next. The Rayco seemed superior in most cases......but both could vary depending on the newness of those teeth. For me....the rental bills were growing and the Woods TSG50 3 Point Grinder was new on the market....and my aspirations for more plots grew. I bought the Woods and ground stumps for a few years. IIRC I could grind as many as 500 / full day of those low sheared 14" pine stumps. Usually after a few hundred I'd do other things as looking over your shoulder for extended periods was hard duty. I've long ago lost count.....but I'd guess my total stump count to be 3500 to 4000 stumps to date.

Can you imagine the piles of dug-out stumps I would have had to deal with? I know lots of folks claim dozing em out is the way to go.....but I maintain grinding has been better for me. Proof......and they are gone. No other digging or burying involved. Hardwoods could be a whole other deal tho. Those oak stumps are hard on equipment and take far more time.

A question for you, after grinding the stumps, in a few years when the bottom part of the stumps rot, do you then have low spots where the roots, and the rest of the stump that didnt get ground was?

 

[Foggy47]

When I ground stumps on Wednesday.......I was grinding on an old oak stump and caught a root just right......and stalled my tractor and smoked the slip clutch on the grinder. Got a chunk of HARD root stuck into the grinder and could not get it out with the tractor tools I had. So....back to the shed and worked it over for about 1/2 hour to get the chuck of root free. Really had it wedged and it was difficult to get free. I beleive that is the first time that has happened.....tho I have hit some wire and other a few stones at times.

I am amazed at how well these carbide teeth hold up. on this grinder.....and I've read that the "Sandvick wheel" found on these grinders is a good forestry set-up. ( With 20/20 hindsight....I don't know why I did not remove those 5 bolts on the right side of the grinder head and remove the root....lol)

 

[Foggy47]

A question for you, after grinding the stumps, in a few years when the bottom part of the stumps rot, do you then have low spots where the roots, and the rest of the stump that didnt get ground was?

No.....I have never noticed any low spots or depressions in any my plots. Also never had any problems growing things where the stumps were (but have experienced that in my lawn when trying to grow grass in these areas that have not had the chips cleaned up and fresh top soil added.) I just may push a little dirt around (or not) and after disking or cultivating call it "good to go." Never had any issues with that.

 

[jsasker007]

When I ground stumps on Wednesday.......I was grinding on an old oak stump and caught a root just right......and stalled my tractor and smoked the slip clutch on the grinder. Got a chunk of HARD root stuck into the grinder and could not get it out with the tractor tools I had. So....back to the shed and worked it over for about 1/2 hour to get the chuck of root free. Really had it wedged and it was difficult to get free. I beleive that is the first time that has happened.....tho I have hit some wire and other a few stones at times.

I am amazed at how well these carbide teeth hold up. on this grinder.....and I've read that the "Sandvick wheel" found on these grinders is a good forestry set-up. ( With 20/20 hindsight....I don't know why I did not remove those 5 bolts on the right side of the grinder head and remove the root....lol)

View attachment 53064

You should have laid an old sink in with the rest of the tools there.

 

[homerj]

For a .2 acre plot in the woods I'd just work around the stumps. It's not like you're going to plant corn or beans on such a plot. Cut them flush to the ground, paint with gly, let them rot away.

 

[Foggy47]

For a .2 acre plot in the woods I'd just work around the stumps. It's not like you're going to plant corn or beans on such a plot. Cut them flush to the ground, paint with gly, let them rot away.

^ Yep. But not sure what good painting with Gly will do?....unless your concerned with sprouts? I would be inclined to just run my flail mower close to the ground on those small stumps and go very slowly through that area. That would pretty much get ground level.

 

[homerj]

But not sure what good painting with Gly will do?.

It will kill the stumps. Paint at 100% gly immediately after cutting and the stumps will be dead.

 

[homerj]

run my flail mower

I have no access to such a piece of machinery.

 

[356]

I had a similar tree removal project. I used a gas powered stump grinder purchased on sale from Home Depot. Due to distance to a rental place, purchasing was $1500 well spent. It’s not quick, but it does a great job of getting the stumps ground down to where they are no longer an issue. Plus, your friend and neighbors will love you if you are willing to let them use it, as everyone has a stump or two that they need to remove.

It takes a minute for a 4-6”. I can do about 10 before needing a short break. Some of the 24” stumps take about 5 minutes, plus another 5 minutes of rest. Here is a stock photo of the one we bought three years ago. Definitely a good purchase, and the unit has not given us any issues.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Little update. I found a local guy with a mini excavator and he is coming in to remove the stumps next week. I hope the money is well spent?

 

[weekender21]

I’ve got some big stumps in most of my plots. Can’t stand the thought of losing the top soil on our slopes. They’ll rot eventually.


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[b116757]

I do a few semi shaded woods plots I don’t care about stumps in these I generally just broadcast white clover into them in the fall and maybe once a year or every other year hit them with my brush-hog to keep the woody undergrowth under control. It would be more convenient to not have the stumps just not enough for me to worry about it that much I guess. In my larger open area plots I have no stumps. I did clear .75 acre plot last year might of been the year before idk can’t remember but I used my track loader for that project but my intention was to work the ground in that plot at least every few years when I cleared it but have since seeded it in Durano white clover.