PETER SEABROOK
Smart ways to remove overgrown trees
IOFTEN get letters and e-mails requesting advice on the removal of tree stumps. These will arrive with pictures and descriptions of large shrubs and/or garden trees having been chain sawed off at ground level. I find this really frustrating because, apart from the expense of bringing in a stump grinder, getting a stump out with no trunk to use as leverage is pretty difficult.
When we first arrived at our present house there was a large seedling cherry dominating the front garden with a trunk close to 12in (30cm) in diameter. The head of the tree was cut back and an 8ft (2.4m) high trunk left in position.
Working 3ft (0.9m) out from this trunk a circular trench was dug, followed by sawing through and removing each section of unearthed root. Loosening what soil remained around the root ball with a fork, it was possible to lever the trunk over, cut through remaining exposed roots and get the whole lot out.
Similar treatment in subsequent years was given to a 25ft (7.6m) tall horse chestnut my son had grown from a conker and 40ft (12m) high Leyland cypress. A spade and a small folding pruning saw is all that was needed to remove these stumps and, in the case of the cherry, digging out most of the root removed the chances of subsequent sucker growth problems occurring.
All these trees came to mind when I decided to remove a large tamarix shrub that had grown too large. When heathers
“It was possible to lever the trunk over”
were trimmed back from around the base quite a large trunk emerged. However, using the same method meant that within an hour or so the whole lot was removed.
As a consequence the kitchen was flooded in light and quite a space was unveiled, allowing us to appreciate the better view. An adjacent variegated holly can now be trained up on a leg to replace it.