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Is it necessary to remove juniper stumps?

9 years ago

We had some juniper bushes removed, but the stumps are still there. We want to build a short retaining wall around the area where the bushes formerly were. Since we'll be raising the level of the soil do we need to remove the stumps or can we plant on top of them?

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Comments (6)

cadillactaste
9 years ago
What sort of material are you using for the retaining wall? VersaLok you must be able to get behind and put foundation gravel up against the back of it. So depending on the prep work and where you wish for the wall to sit. You may find the roots are a hindrance while trying to prep for your wall. Now if you plan on leveling the area...and building on that surface. I would imagine the roots wouldn't be an issue of the actual building of said wall. Also...how high do you plan on building this wall...will it be deep enough to allow proper planting of anything you wish to put in the area. The last thing you want to do is fight with roots after the wall is in and your planting. For I would imagine trying to take out the roots later could effect your foundation of the wall you plan on building. A lot of factors to consider.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
wood is wood.. the type doenst matter ...

all wood can be left ... but you will probably get mushrooms over the years ... which i pretend is a free show of ma nature ...

but that presumes two things..

first .. you can build the wall properly ...as noted ...

second ... that your future plantings wont be in the exact spot they are ... nothing worse than thinking you saved a little time and effort in not removing.. only to find... they are complicating your life.. now that you buried them ...

are you sure you dont have some strapping young highschooler around.. who couldnt dig them up for a little spending money ... just to avoid future issues??? ... too at least get the central stump out... i surely wouldnt worry about all the roots going off the main stump ....

ken
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I have had several large trees removed and have planted successfully over the hole after the stump was chipped out. The fill dirt will settle ... as well as the area where any large roots are. I always add some large rocks to the fill going in the hole to mitigate the eventual settling of the fill dirt. The rocks go in first then the fill. Each spring a few more shovels of dirt may be necessary. Mounding up the fill dirt might help a little but, you must remember where the "hump" is when you mow. Matching the surrounding grass was always my pet peeve about filling tree holes. The patch of new grass is always a different color for a few years.
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Lots of dirty, nasty work. Wear long sleeves and thick gloves. You may be able to yank the stumps/roots out with a 4x4 after chainsawing them. Hard work never killed anybody - if it's too much for your son, that's an indicator for you. Dan
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where are you???? i ruled out asia.. since its not in new england ... but NE is rather large diverse area ... big city name .... welcome to the forums ... first off.. just because you are cold... it matters not to the plants ... as gal noted.. they are well suited to your area ... also keep in mind.. you bought late season bargain plants from bigbox .... they may.. OR MAY NOT .... have trouble next year.. and odds are.. it will have nothing with what you just did ... so just stop having a heart attack about it all ... i suggest that you plant the rest... imo... they would have better odds in mother eaarth.. than in your breezeway ... cold hard winter winds are one of the worst problems ... and buried under snow.. migtht be the best you can do ... if you watered them in PROPERLY at planting.. a good deep soaking .... i simply dont know why they would need anymore water before next may or june ... there simply isnt any heat.. to make soil moisture evaporate.. so all more water will do.. is potentially drown them ... try not to love them to death ... and no fert this late in fall ... just get the job done.. give yourself a high five on the bargain ... and go relax... ken ps: just shove the little ones in anywhere.. you can permanently plant them in early spring .. no need for perfection .... right now ... a dead veg patch would be brilliant ...
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mikebotann
9 years ago
I pull them out with a chain attached to my truck hitch.
Mike
teri2
9 years ago
A number of my neighbors have pulled out their 20 yr old original foundation plantings using mikebotann's pickup truck and chain method. It's relatively painless.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
and i had a friend who pulled the bumper off his truck.. thinking he would do it like mike.. lol ... of course.. i wouldnt ride in that truck.. lol .. for safety purposes...

ken
mikebotann
9 years ago
Ken, I have an old 1976 3/4 ton, gas eating 460 cu. in., Ford truck with a real bumper and hitch. I hardly take it off the place anymore. It's mainly used for firewood, brush, rocks, and sometimes trees. A work truck. ;- It has pulled a lot of junipers and mugos out of the ground over the years. You know, the ones planted too close to the driveway and sidewalk that's been sheared a time or two, and look like heck. I did a lot of yard makeovers in 30 years and they were usually the first to go.
Mike

This post was edited by mikebotann on Wed, Jul 23, 14 at 13:59

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