How to Remove a Stump With Kerosene
It's important to keep your yard in tip-top shape. When older or diseased trees die off, you're better off getting rid of them as soon as possible. After you've chopped them down to just short of ground level, the stump still remains. No need to get the rope and a pickup as there's an easier way to remove the last remaining bits of your old tree.
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Use your drill, the 1-inch bit and the 12-inch extension to drill holes into the top of the stump around the perimeter. Space out the holes evenly and as plentiful as area allows.
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Pour 3 to 4 ozs. of powdered potassium nitrate (stump remover) into the drilled holes, topping each hole off with water from the watering can. The "removal process" takes between four and six weeks, and it's important to keep kids and pets away for the duration.
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Fill each hole with kerosene or fuel oil, but never gasoline. The fuel must saturate the stump. This saturation period can take up to two weeks.
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Cover the saturated stump with chicken wire and clear all leaves, twigs and debris away from the area to ensure safe burning.
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Drop a lit match into each hole and allow the stump to smolder for a few days. You'll be left with a hole that looks like it's filled with crushed charcoal, which are the remains of your stump.
Tips
- When removing your tree stumps, the stump removal process with powder and kerosene works best with older tree stumps. If you have newer and younger tree stumps, use an ax or more labor-intensive methods instead.
Warnings
- Never use gasoline for the smoldering process. Kerosene and fuel oil are noncombustible and safer to use for tree stump removal.
Writer Bio
Dan Gaz is a graduate of Indiana University with degrees in both exercise science and applied sport science. A self-proclaimed Internet Renaissance man, Gaz is a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none. His work can be seen in the "Post-Bulletin" (Rochester, Minn.) and on various websites.
Photo Credits
- stump image by Danil Kashirskj from Fotolia.com
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