Holly tree stump...............

[stevewestern]

I have just cut down a small (9ft) holly tree in my garden as it is sitting directly next to a manhole and above my clay drain pipe.
All thats left is a 2ft stump, and I want to stop it sprouting again, and ideally get rid of whats left.
I don't want to try to dig it out for fear of damaging the pipes so what would you suggest is a good approach - I've read that drilling a load of holes will help kill it, as will glyphosate. However, is there anything that I can use to try to speed up the rotting process, ideally at the same time as killing it off ?

Thanks for any suggestions !

[arco_iris]

Cut it down as low to the ground as you can get, then light a bonfire on top of it?????

There's a video on youtube of this, it takes a few days but it is quicker than waiting for it to rot - & it shouldn't harm clay pipes (wouldn't recommend on top of plastic ones though). Once smouldering it will keep going as long as banked up.

[stevewestern]

Cut it down as low to the ground as you can get, then light a bonfire on top of it?????

There's a video on youtube of this, it takes a few days but it is quicker than waiting for it to rot - & it shouldn't harm clay pipes (wouldn't recommend on top of plastic ones though). Once smouldering it will keep going as long as banked up.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'd not thought about a fire.
I'd need to try to find a way to contain it as the neighbour has a wooden fence within 2ft, and also, the stump seems to be oozing liquid - water I think, so may need to wait for that to stop (we have had it pretty wet here, and I just hope its not the roots sucking it up from the drain...

[arco_iris]

I'd need to try to find a way to contain it as the neighbour has a wooden fence within 2ft

Depending on what is available to you, some saturated sacking or other material, a couple of plasterboard offcuuts, a pile of old bricks, in front of the fence 2' away ought to protect it - we are not talking Guy Fawkes, you can start the fire small and build it up. Barbecue charcoal???

Then bank it up to keep the heat in.

Proviso - it's an idea, I haven't tried it!

[stevewestern]

I'd need to try to find a way to contain it as the neighbour has a wooden fence within 2ft

Depending on what is available to you, some saturated sacking or other material, a couple of plasterboard offcuuts, a pile of old bricks, in front of the fence 2' away ought to protect it - we are not talking Guy Fawkes, you can start the fire small and build it up. Barbecue charcoal???

Then bank it up to keep the heat in.

Proviso - it's an idea, I haven't tried it!

Again, thanks !
I'd imagined a hotter fire, but BBQ charcoal and plasterboard are not so hard to get, so will look into it over the next few days...!
I may try to get hold of an old dustbin and cut off the base to form a casing for it, which will also help keep it going.
Might need some marshmallows though.

[Argyll]

Ammonium sulphamte is your best bet. Drill a few holes, dilute the mixture with water and pour in every few hours until used.

Ammonium sulphamte can be bought from ebay and is basically nuclear strength.

Some people use diesel but nothing else will grow afterwards. Ground with ammonium sulphamate will be fertile again after a year or so.

I've used it several times.

[Argyll]

stumps-t83018.html

[Timllfixit]

Yes, Diesel(or Creosote/ Paraffin or even old engine oil) works. In my experience it doesn't seem to leak out of the roots into the soil. But maybe I was lucky, and all very much unapproved of and I no way recommend or condone it.

[stevewestern]

Well, at this stage I've got a garden waste incinerator that I've cut the bottom off and placed over the stump. Holes drilled into the stump and filled with paraffin, then charcoal on top. It's been burning for a few hours and I hope to keep it going for a couple of days. I'll report back then!