How to Remove a Tree Stump & Roots

Narrow stumps are the easiest to uproot.

Letting a stump naturally rot can take as long as 10 years. If you're not willing to wait while the stump deteriorates and becomes a wildlife hangout for the next decade, get the shovel out. Uprooting a stump is labor intensive, but it is also a straightforward, simple process. You don't need to complete the job in one day. Give your back a rest when it needs and return to the job when you are ready.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Ax
• Pickax

Instructions

1. Dig a circle around the stump that extends 2 feet from the base. Remove the soil from within that circle from a depth of 2 feet to expose the roots. Water the area around the trunk piece to soften the ground and facilitate digging.

2. Cut the lateral roots with an ax or sharp shovel blade to separate them from the stump.

3. Rock the stump sideways and back and forth to loosen it from the soil. If you cut or oversee the cutting of the tree or shrub, arrange for a 4- to 6-foot-tall stump to be left. You will then have a good chunk of wood to push on while working to free the stump.

4. Tip the stump to cut the roots growing underneath. Ask someone to hold the trunk down while you chop with the axe, if necessary. Pull the stump out of the hole when it becomes loose from the soil and roots.

5. Continue to dig, loosening the roots from the soil. Chop the system in small sections to make it easier to take it out. Strike the ground with a pickax, reach under the roots and pull them out as another uprooting alternative.

Tips & Warnings

• Pre-treat a stump larger than 14 inches in diameter with a chemical stump remover. Apply the product you select according the manufacturer's label. The chemical kills the stump and roots. The wood softens and it becomes easier to remove the stump from the site.

References

• Colorado State University Extension: Plant Talk Colorado: Stump Removal
• LSU AgCenter: Stump Removal from Home Grounds