Stump Removal By Hand
How to Remove a Tree Stump
Equipment / Tools / Gear needed:
- Safety Goggles
- Gloves
- Pants (Jeans)
- Boots (Steel toe preferred)
- Heavy Duty Digging Shovel (Spade)
- Landscaping Rod (With sharp, flat edge)
- Axe (Potentially, for thick roots)
- Hammer
- Hard hat (optional, but always recommended)
To remove a tree stump, start by digging an 8 to 12 inch trench with your shovel around the base of the stump. The reason for this is that once the trench is deep enough, the landscaping rod can be used to cut roots and eventually be forced under the ballroot and forced upward.
Once the trench is dug, start by driving the landscaping rod into the trench and moving it forwards and backwards to start driving the rod underneath the stump. When encountering roots, drive the sharp edge of the landscaping rod into the roots to cut them. If the root is too thick, you may drive the rod through the root with a hammer by hammering the top of the rod downwards onto the root, or take an axe to chop through it.
Working around the entire stump this way will eventually remove the stump. Eventually, after a little work, the stump will start moving, and you know you are getting close. Once the rod is completely underneath the root, lift it upwards to pull it out!
After the stump removal, fill the hole with whatever you desire, be it loam or heavy soil, whatever makes you happy.
