How Do I Get a Stump to Rot?
- 1). Cut the stump as low to the ground as possible. Drill several one-inch holes down into the wood or make cuts with a chainsaw across the wood of the stump. Either method exposes more wood to the air and helps it break down more quickly.
- 2). Keep the stump moist by watering the area with a hose. The organisms that break down the stump prefer moist, dark places, so cover the stump with sod to keep them healthy. You can also order varieties of edible mushrooms to grow on your stump rather than waiting for local fungi to move in.
- 3). Fertilize the stump with a fertilizer containing high levels of nitrogen during the first year. This will encourage the organisms decomposing the wood to multiply and keep doing their job.
- 4). Add sugar to the stump after the first year. This will provide additional food for the decomposing organisms and help the wood to rot faster.
- 5). Fill in the holes created around the stump with compost or topsoil as the wood rots away underneath. This will keep your yard safe and level.
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