Burn out tree stump: Instructions in 4 steps

The time always comes when the old has to give way to the new, also in the home garden. While the removal of shrubs, flowers and vegetables is easy to do, a tree stump poses a real challenge for many hobby gardeners. Burning out is a simple alternative to brute force and the use of heavier machines. With our step-by-step instructions, you can also remove your tree stump in no time at all.

Burn out tree stump

Although the pros and cons of burning out are hotly debated, there can actually be situations in which other methods for removal are simply not feasible or can only be implemented with immense effort. It is ultimately up to you to decide which method to use. If you decide to burn out, we will help you with this guide to take the right steps execute that the greatest possible success is combined with disadvantages that are ideally negligible entry.

Note: Since each of the woods that we find is flammable, basically every tree stump is suitable for burning out. However, hardwoods such as oak, beech or walnut require significantly more effort than the wood itself only burns very slowly and under unfavorable conditions only smoldering or even completely goes out. On the other hand, it is very easy to burn out

resinous softwoods, since the resin itself is a kind of fire accelerator that is already present throughout the wood.

1. preparation

First of all, the right framework conditions should be created in order to be able to carry out the burnout successfully:

• Remove loose soil or soil that can be loosened with little effort in the upper stump area
• Saw off the tree stump as close as possible to the remaining soil in order to avoid unnecessary effort by burning additional wood
• Drill holes vertically and at an angle across the entire trunk cross-section with a drill or cordless drill
• Choose the largest possible drill diameter
• In the area of ​​laterally emerging roots, drill diagonally into the roots

tip: Instead of the holes to be drilled, the tree stump can also be sawed in a checkerboard shape with a chainsaw. However, since a plunge cut is required for this, this work should only be carried out by people with sufficient experience in handling these potentially dangerous tools.

2. Fuel paste

Although wood is generally considered to be readily combustible, a tree stump is unlikely to burn into the depths of its substance by itself. The reason for this is the fire's need for oxygen, which means that a fire only ever takes place on the surface. In addition, a fire develops upwards following the thermals and thus does not penetrate into the depths of the tree roots by itself. In order to remove them safely, the previously created holes are treated with a fuel paste as a fire accelerator or Fire relay filled into the wood:

• Mix equal parts saltpeter and petroleum until a thick paste is formed
• To protect against harmful effects, it is essential to wear gloves and protective goggles
• Alternatively: Use fuel pastes from the household, for example from fondue or raclette
• Fill the drilled holes with fuel paste, for example with the help of a thin rod
• Lead fuel paste to the bottom of the hole, but do not fill it completely for better oxygen supply

Important: You should never choose liquid fire accelerators, as these flow from the roots into the soil and can cause considerable damage or impairment of the soil quality there. In particular, the petroleum it contains is considered to be environmentally harmful!

3. Burnout Tree Stump: Instructions

After the rhizome has been prepared and the fire accelerator has been added, the root is ignited. The following, most tedious part of removing the stump using the burn-out method is also the simplest. You have to wait and watch how the fire slowly works its way through the wood and removes the unloved root piece by piece:

• Have a fire extinguisher, water bucket or garden hose ready for protection
• Ignite fuel paste at the entrance of the drilled holes
• ideally set all holes on fire in order to allow extensive spread
• Due to the flammability of the fuel paste, choose a suitable ignition source with a sufficient safety distance, e.g. Bunsen burner, stick lighter, etc.
• Alternatively: Put a fuse made of easily flammable paper or something similar to keep hands away from the immediate burning area

Attention: Especially when using petroleum-containing fuel pastes, one should not be in the immediate vicinity of the fire during the actual burnout. The resulting smoke is considered to be harmful to health and should not be inhaled!

4. Rework

Before deciding which burnout method to use, one should be aware that fire will not be able to completely eradicate the stump. Anyone who has seen what remains in the campfire even under ideal conditions, will quickly realized that the poor oxygen supply and the surrounding soil lead to much larger residues should. The fire in the tree stump usually only removes the large wood mass of the core piece, the edge areas of the root with its countless branches, on the other hand, are still in the ground available. Depending on the requirements and the desired re-use of the area, different types of rework can be useful:

always

• Remove the ash and easily detachable remnants from the stump, for example with a hoe, hand shovel or goat's foot
• Disposal in the residual waste or on the compost

If necessary, further elimination

• Now pull accessible root parts out of the ground
• Repeat the burn-out process locally for large-sized parts of the root

tip: Even if the root has been sufficiently removed by burning out, it is worth doing before Filling the root hole with soil, the remaining thick roots or even trunk parts again to drill in. Moisture and microorganisms get into the wood through the holes and thus accelerate the decomposition in the soil.