Mike, I am trying to remove a stump that is near the foundation of the home we just bought… It’s been there a while but it was cut close to the ground. I thought about driving a stake (t-post) into it to serve as my leverage. Any other ideas? I believe it was an old elm tree.
Joe. If it was me, I’d take no chances with the foundation. No prying or burning. Call a guy with a stump grinder. A cheaper way of course is to drill many holes to a foot below the dirt line. Fill the holes with fertilizer, water it in slightly. Cover with a black tarp, and wait 12-18 months for it to rot away. Then backfill the 12′ hole, plant your seed.
Thank you Mike,
Readily understandable explanation.
My question was spurred from a recent interest in miniature container plants.(I hesitate to call it Bonsai for I have not studied). Watching Utube posts I see the experts combing out and treating the roots similar to pruning the branches. When I found out my purchased was B/B and probably clay grown I became doubtful. The nursery suggested I choose a pot planted specimen. They were adamant I did not get the B/B for my container, saying many customers have lost their plants that way.
I earlier managed to pick up a couple of $15 Oshio Beni’s. I went ahead and raked out their roots and trimmed them all off as I had seen on Utube.
2 gallon pots.I was surprised at how root bound and mixed up all the root systems were.
Only by loosening the soil and getting right up into the center of the plants could I straighten the roots out. Some of the older larger original growth had become quite large already but unruly.
I would appreciate any comment you may make to help me. (Pacific Northwest Victoria BC.)
I should have studied these things 60 years ago 😉 .
I enjoy your presentations Mike.
What is the scoop on the clay packed balled and burlapped trees we get from nurseries?
The clay is my main concern. How do we handle it?
m2w
This is a good question but the answer will suprise you. When you buy a tree that has been grown in clay soil you obviously get a ball of clay. But truth be told that’s better than a ball of sand, gravel or loam soil that is nice and porous. Why? Because that clay ball you can plant anywhere and the roots will quickly establish themselves into your exisiting soil. The clay in the ball is not going to inhibit root growth. However, when you get a nice porous ball of soil you have to be really careful where and how you plant it because if you have clay soil and just drop that ball right in the ground, water will actually seep into the root ball and will not be able to drain away. Thus creating a condition that is entirely too wet for your plant. At least with the clay ball, the ball itself will shed away excess and water and the bath tub effect can not take place.
Mike, I am trying to remove a stump that is near the foundation of the home we just bought… It’s been there a while but it was cut close to the ground. I thought about driving a stake (t-post) into it to serve as my leverage. Any other ideas? I believe it was an old elm tree.
Thanks,
Joe
Joe. If it was me, I’d take no chances with the foundation. No prying or burning. Call a guy with a stump grinder. A cheaper way of course is to drill many holes to a foot below the dirt line. Fill the holes with fertilizer, water it in slightly. Cover with a black tarp, and wait 12-18 months for it to rot away. Then backfill the 12′ hole, plant your seed.
Mike, I watched you presentation on propagation using a (Clamp Shell Device) last night. Could you tell me how and where to buy one? Thanks, Don
Thank you Mike,
Readily understandable explanation.
My question was spurred from a recent interest in miniature container plants.(I hesitate to call it Bonsai for I have not studied). Watching Utube posts I see the experts combing out and treating the roots similar to pruning the branches. When I found out my purchased was B/B and probably clay grown I became doubtful. The nursery suggested I choose a pot planted specimen. They were adamant I did not get the B/B for my container, saying many customers have lost their plants that way.
I earlier managed to pick up a couple of $15 Oshio Beni’s. I went ahead and raked out their roots and trimmed them all off as I had seen on Utube.
2 gallon pots.I was surprised at how root bound and mixed up all the root systems were.
Only by loosening the soil and getting right up into the center of the plants could I straighten the roots out. Some of the older larger original growth had become quite large already but unruly.
I would appreciate any comment you may make to help me. (Pacific Northwest Victoria BC.)
I should have studied these things 60 years ago 😉 .
I enjoy your presentations Mike.
What is the scoop on the clay packed balled and burlapped trees we get from nurseries?
The clay is my main concern. How do we handle it?
m2w
This is a good question but the answer will suprise you. When you buy a tree that has been grown in clay soil you obviously get a ball of clay. But truth be told that’s better than a ball of sand, gravel or loam soil that is nice and porous. Why? Because that clay ball you can plant anywhere and the roots will quickly establish themselves into your exisiting soil. The clay in the ball is not going to inhibit root growth. However, when you get a nice porous ball of soil you have to be really careful where and how you plant it because if you have clay soil and just drop that ball right in the ground, water will actually seep into the root ball and will not be able to drain away. Thus creating a condition that is entirely too wet for your plant. At least with the clay ball, the ball itself will shed away excess and water and the bath tub effect can not take place.