Hi all,

I'm new to yardwork and gardening, so I'd really appreciate some thoughts on the following issues:

I had several (10-15) very old, extremely overgrown shrubs that I had cut completely to ground level just last week. All that remains are stumps and roots. I've tried to dig them out, but the "soil" around the stumps is too tough to get through easily. I'm thinking I will drill holes into the stumps and fill them with herbicide to speed the killing/decaying process. After this, if I applied a thick layer of compost, followed by a layer of woodchips over the whole area, would that be okay? (I basically need to cover up the entire area since it looks pretty crazy and bare with the shrubs gone. At the same time, since it's fall I can use this as a time to prepare my soil for the spring.)

Also, in terms of fall planting (perennials, small shrubs), is that "a thing" or should I not plant in the fall? I've tried to look this up, but all I get is info about vegetables.