I'd cut them off really low and let them rot on their own. Keep in mind that any cedar will change your phone by lowering it. Also I've found that wild berries will cross with tame berries. Personally I prefer the wild myself.

I'm guessing you meant ph? Yes, my extension agent said if I can get 100 feet, that will minimize cross polination. That's why I chose this spot.

It is pH, not ph. It means the measure of activity of Hydrogen. H is the symbol for Hydrogen, if you didn't know.

Your post said "phOne". I assumed you meant pH? My caps don't always do what I want them to when I'm using my phone to text.

I wondered about that lower phone thing, too. I figured if you set the phone on the stump then cut it off you would have to bend over to pick it up. I've got an old cedar stump in the yard cut off to ground level that's been there since long before I moved in (that's been 25 years) and it's still as solid as a rock. Cutting them off will get them out of site but just remember where they are if you ever decide to turn that soil.

Tom

LOL. I didn't read that. Yes, I meant pH, not phone. Must have been auto correct.

My grandpa (born 1890) used to pour salt and used motor oil into the stump, after using the ax to break down some of the center. He never said how long it took, or whether it was just a spot to dispose in. Now he's not with us to ask.

Tom, missed you yesterday.

Sorry about that, Marla - I had to take the pesticide applicator test today and Dad sugested that studying might be a good idea (dang - wish I had thought of that). In reality there were only two programs I was interested in - the one on small acreage livestock and the aprary expansion roundtable. I wish we could have spent more time visiting. I looked for you in the afternoon presentations but did not see you - figured you were in the small fruit room. Did you ever figure out if Colerobbie was there? I don't know about you but that GAP presentation scared the snot out of us. If these rules are applied it looks like at least some of the requirements are going to apply. I do enough paperwork as it is - doing more is not going to make our produce safer. Typical.

Tom

I picked the handout for the small animal, I'll copy and send it to you, just email your address. Yes I was in the small fruit most of the afternoon. Today we went down to Dixon Springs and seen/visited withJeff. Got really spiked. Going to Russell Springs, KY to look at transplanters and then on down to Cookeville' TN to check out Growers Solutions. I may need to pick up some supplies while I'm there. My grower that I'm growing has decided to add another 100' greenhouse and wants to double his order. He's now talking about possibly 30,000 plants in the near future. I'm a bit overwhelmed, since he doesn't want to start the seeds himself but let me do that part.

Vicki,
I'd think if you could get most of the cedar stumps out, it would be easier in the long run. They are so rot resistant that it could be a long time till they disappear.
Try digging around the bases and cutting some of the larger roots with a chainsaw. Then attach a strong chain as high as you can on the tree(for leverage), hook it up to your dad's tractor, get some momentum going before the chain gets taught, and they will mostly come out.

I did this when we planted our orchard on what was mostly scrub maple, cherry, and alder. We pulled down about 50 trees this way. Root balls and all.

This post was edited by madroneb on Fri, Feb 15, 13 at 23:23

Be careful pulling stumps with a tractor and chain. I've seen tractors flipped over backwards that way and if it does not have ROP it can be deadly. On stumps small like the ones in your picture it probably isn't going to happen but it pays to be careful.

What did you think of Dixon Springs - I've spent time down there riding but have never been to the research facility. I think they have an open house sometime during the summer so maybe this year. Down into KY and TN - I'm a little envious. I may have been born a flatlander but at heart those hills just call and call.

Tom

I enjoyed visiting with them, got really inspired. Daffodials are blooming in KY/TN. That's a good sign for us, about a month away. Coming back we got into some snow flurries and really cold temps.

I will probably try to give them a yank before I cut them off. My dad has a 40 horse with four wheel drive.We've had a lot of rain which would make them more likely to come out but also more slippery for getting traction.