Dear all,

By coincidence I have just re-joined the list in the hope of finding out the
best ways of ridding the garden of buddleia and sycamore 'stumps'.

I am about to cut the bushes and small trees down. The buddleias are about
ten years old and have been 'coppiced' almost every year. The sycamores are
about seven years old and have been lopped at head height for the past three
or four years to form a hedge. (in the latter case the trunks are still only
about arm thickness at the most).

How can I best kill remove these completely? I want to replace both
a.s.a.p. with escallonias.

Thanks in advance for any help

Keith
Portland Bill, Dorset.

"Keith (Dorset)" wrote in message
...
Dear all,

By coincidence I have just re-joined the list in the hope of finding
out the
best ways of ridding the garden of buddleia and sycamore 'stumps'.

I am about to cut the bushes and small trees down. The buddleias are
about
ten years old and have been 'coppiced' almost every year. The
sycamores are
about seven years old and have been lopped at head height for the
past three
or four years to form a hedge. (in the latter case the trunks are
still only
about arm thickness at the most).

How can I best kill remove these completely? I want to replace both
a.s.a.p. with escallonias.

I would suggest cutting them off at ground level, drilling holes down
the centre of each stump and filling with a chemical rotting agent (or
diesel fuel). They will take time to disintegrate but if you are
hiding the site with escalonias, that won't matter.

--
ned

http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk
last update 30.12.2004

On 25/1/05 23:37, in article , "ned"
wrote:

snip

I would suggest cutting them off at ground level, drilling holes down
the centre of each stump and filling with a chemical rotting agent (or
diesel fuel). They will take time to disintegrate but if you are
hiding the site with escalonias, that won't matter.

Do you think the Escallonias will enjoy the diesel fuel leaching into the
surrounding soil, though? IOW, have you done this yourself?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
On 25/1/05 23:37, in article , "ned"
wrote:

snip

I would suggest cutting them off at ground level, drilling holes
down
the centre of each stump and filling with a chemical rotting agent
(or
diesel fuel). They will take time to disintegrate but if you are
hiding the site with escalonias, that won't matter.

Do you think the Escallonias will enjoy the diesel fuel leaching
into the
surrounding soil, though? IOW, have you done this yourself?

How much diesel do you think I am talking about? All that will fill a
three inch deep No.8 drill hole. We are not talking gallons here.
Have I done it myself? Not on sycamore or buddleia, but yes, on ash,
elder and dog rose.
Did it work? Yes.
Did I notice any poisoning of the surrounding ground? No.
The rotting process takes several years as will any leaching of the
degenerating oil.
Did I plant escalonias on the various sites so that I could answer the
next question?
Sod it! No. I never thought of that. ;-)

--
ned

http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk
last update 30.12.2004

On 26/1/05 0:38, in article , "ned"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
snip
Do you think the Escallonias will enjoy the diesel fuel leaching
into the
surrounding soil, though? IOW, have you done this yourself?

How much diesel do you think I am talking about? All that will fill a
three inch deep No.8 drill hole. We are not talking gallons here.
Have I done it myself? Not on sycamore or buddleia, but yes, on ash,
elder and dog rose.
Did it work? Yes.
Did I notice any poisoning of the surrounding ground? No.
The rotting process takes several years as will any leaching of the
degenerating oil.
Did I plant escalonias on the various sites so that I could answer the
next question?
Sod it! No. I never thought of that. ;-)

Thank you. That's all I wanted to check. Leaching of the oil would take one
good downpour I'd have thought, so it's interesting to have your input.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
On 26/1/05 0:38, in article , "ned"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
snip
Do you think the Escallonias will enjoy the diesel fuel leaching
into the
surrounding soil, though? IOW, have you done this yourself?

How much diesel do you think I am talking about? All that will
fill a
three inch deep No.8 drill hole. We are not talking gallons here.
Have I done it myself? Not on sycamore or buddleia, but yes, on
ash,
elder and dog rose.
Did it work? Yes.
Did I notice any poisoning of the surrounding ground? No.
The rotting process takes several years as will any leaching of
the
degenerating oil.
Did I plant escalonias on the various sites so that I could answer
the
next question?
Sod it! No. I never thought of that. ;-)

Thank you. That's all I wanted to check. Leaching of the oil would
take one
good downpour I'd have thought, so it's interesting to have your
input.

Think again, dear Sacha. Wood, even green wood, is porous. The oil
does not sit indefinitely in the drilled hole waiting for a downpour
to flush it out. It is absorbed, soaked up, ingested by the wood. Have
you ever tried to coat the cross-section of a piece of wood with, a
preservative or paint? The wood soaks it up faster than you can apply
it.
But, if you are still worried at the prospect, then by all means you
go out and tie a plastic bag over the end of the stump and sleep easy
in your bed.

--
ned

http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk
last update 30.12.2004

"Keith (Dorset)" wrote in message
...
Dear all,

By coincidence I have just re-joined the list in the hope of finding out
the
best ways of ridding the garden of buddleia and sycamore 'stumps'.

I am about to cut the bushes and small trees down. The buddleias are about
ten years old and have been 'coppiced' almost every year. The sycamores
are
about seven years old and have been lopped at head height for the past
three
or four years to form a hedge. (in the latter case the trunks are still
only
about arm thickness at the most).

How can I best kill remove these completely? I want to replace both
a.s.a.p. with escallonias.

Thanks in advance for any help

Keith
Portland Bill, Dorset.

Dig them out by the roots. It's the only shure and clean method, it's a
better workout than going to a gym and its free.

ned wrote:
[...]
Think again, dear Sacha. Wood, even green wood, is porous. The oil
does not sit indefinitely in the drilled hole waiting for a
downpour
to flush it out. It is absorbed, soaked up, ingested by the wood.
Have
you ever tried to coat the cross-section of a piece of wood with, a
preservative or paint? The wood soaks it up faster than you can
apply
it.
But, if you are still worried at the prospect, then by all means
you
go out and tie a plastic bag over the end of the stump and sleep
easy
in your bed.

OK, but what is the diesel oil actually _for_? What does it _do_? I'm
not surprised you say it takes years for a stump to rot: I'd have
thought heavy oil would, for a while at any rate, be a reasonably
effective preservative.

Mike.

"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...
ned wrote:
[...]
Think again, dear Sacha. Wood, even green wood, is porous. The oil
does not sit indefinitely in the drilled hole waiting for a
downpour
to flush it out. It is absorbed, soaked up, ingested by the wood.
Have
you ever tried to coat the cross-section of a piece of wood with, a
preservative or paint? The wood soaks it up faster than you can
apply
it.
But, if you are still worried at the prospect, then by all means
you
go out and tie a plastic bag over the end of the stump and sleep
easy
in your bed.

OK, but what is the diesel oil actually _for_? What does it _do_? I'm
not surprised you say it takes years for a stump to rot: I'd have
thought heavy oil would, for a while at any rate, be a reasonably
effective preservative.

Mike.


Got to agree there, what is creosote other than a form of oil? I'm sure it
will kill the stump, but chances are it will then preserve it! In fact come
to think of it many years ago my dad treated wooden posts by standing one
end in a bucket of old engine oil for a few days before planting it (or
whatever the appropriate verb for a post is)
--
Tumbleweed

email replies not necessary but to contact use;
tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com

"Tumbleweed" wrote in message
...

"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...

snip

OK, but what is the diesel oil actually _for_? What does it _do_?
I'm
not surprised you say it takes years for a stump to rot: I'd have
thought heavy oil would, for a while at any rate, be a reasonably
effective preservative.

Mike.


Got to agree there, what is creosote other than a form of oil? I'm
sure it
will kill the stump, but chances are it will then preserve it! In
fact come
to think of it many years ago my dad treated wooden posts by
standing one
end in a bucket of old engine oil for a few days before planting it
(or
whatever the appropriate verb for a post is)
--
Tumbleweed

Mike, Tumbleweed,
Agreed. The oil in the core kills off the plant. And as you suggest,
any oil will probably have some preservative effect. But we are
talking in thimblefuls concentrated in a very small area. The overall
effect on a stump will obviously be proportional to the diameter of
stump - pauses to check back on the OP ...... and, ...... er, I see
that the trees in question were only of arm thickness. In which case,
if I'm allowed to change my tune, I would favour digging them out.
!?!?! :-(
......mutter, mutter, mutter.

--
ned

http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk
last update 30.12.2004