[Denzoo]

Hi

We had about 20 - 30 leylandi trees cut down to ground level stumps one year ago, I'd now like to replant in the area but am worried that anything I plant won't thrive and Idon't want waste money on plants if is the case. We paid alot to get them cut down. So I picked up some advise on these forum's to drill holes and add fertilizer, what time frame are talking for the stumps to degrade ? I've a reasonable quoute for stump removal using grinder but don't know if I can justify spending more, so really looking for advise as to whether I can plant around the stumps or would the roots still be sucking any goodness in the soil? The plants that I have are red robin, lavender , acers. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Sue Deacon]

The stumps won't be 'sucking any goodness' out of the soil, but the trees will have already done that!

Years ago we had an Ash tree cut down. Unlike the leylandii, they will grow again from a stump so we had someone come and grind up most of it, but as it was dying due to honey fungus, I didn't replant with trees or shrubs but perennials.

Fertilizer won't kill dissolve them. There used to be crystals you could buy - can't for the life of me remember what it was, something along the lines of caustic soda. A friend usedthem to get rid of some small poplar stumps. It took over a year.

I have heard that Epsom salts will do the trick, but have never tried it.

If you want to grow anything in the soil afterwards, don't for pity's sake use anything with Glyphosate in it (trade name Roundup) Whatever the blurb on the packet says it does NOT become inert on contact with the soil. It is an antibiotic and kills everything!

You say you have lavender you want to plant. Providing it gets enough sun, it should do well in the poor soil. But the acers and red robin will struggle.

[tagwex]

Get in a small digger and pull them up. Stumps wont degrade for years.

[Sue Deacon]

Leylandii roots, like most conifers, spread out miles (OK several feet!) from the trunk. Grubbing then out with a digger is going to make a mighty mess. Fine if there is nothing else around them, but I can't help but remember when my friend's farmer husband grubbed out just one, small stump and took a big chunk of lawn, the corner of the patio, half of a much loved dahlia and damaged a fence post! Five minutes work and MONTHS to put it right.

[Denzoo]

Thanks for the replies - you cant actually see the stumps, so visually not an issue, some roots are getting in the way and am trying hack these when I see them. Would adding manure and compost around them revive the soil... Really I'd prefer to spend the money on plants etc for the garden..then that's a false economy if they won't grown! Since last year I've planted a red robin which seems to be taking root and has grown some what, it's giving me hope..and the Acer has some new buds on it, it was planted much later though.

[kindredspirit]

I planted plants around and on top of old Leylandi stumps. Ne'er a problem. Everything did well. Mind you! I like to lash on the good old farmyard manure. (from an organic beef farm.)

[Greengage]

Roundup is actually a contact weedkiller or broad spectrum systemic Herbicide it works by translocation. Whatever is on the label always follow the instructions as they cannot make up what they want to put on there irrespective of what DIY chemists say.
It is only recommended for what the label says. Roundup is only a trade name containing Glypospate. The chemical company Monsanto brought it to market in 1974 under the trade name Roundup, There are lots of proposals to ban it but what are the alternatives sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for.

http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/afs/MAC_proceedings/proceedings/2010/Eric_Johnson.pdf

[Sue Deacon]

I wish for a world where we feed the soil, not poison it.
https://www.navdanyainternational.it/en/news-navdanya-international/377-monsanto-illegally-introduces-round-up-resistant-gmo-cotton-in-india

http://www.gmwatch.org/en/news/latest-news/17548-india-activists-accuse-monsanto-of-contaminating-local-crops-with-illegal-roundup-ready-bt-cotton

https://www.farmerangus.co.za/2015/11/12/glyphosate-the-carcinogen-every-south-african-ingests-daily/

https://www.gmoevidence.com/location/south-america/

Really, I'm not a tofu-eating, flip-flop-wearing, tree-hugger (OK I HAVE hugged a few trees in my time! ). I just think if we carry on with this insanity Mother Nature is going to bite us in the bum BIGTIME! - Rant over.

[Greengage]

The effects of systemic weedkillers on the planet will be a lot less than the effects of natural disasters.
Sea levels are rising causing coastal erosion.
We have more powerful storms across the continents.
Earthquakes are becoming more common in some areas and more destructive.
We have had a number of Tsunamis causing massive destruction and deaths.
Wildfires have been burning out of control on some continents.
Threats of famine due to lack of rainfall and wars.
A large number of Volcanoes are now active again.
Regular occurrences of flooding happening causing soil erosion and destruction of rivers as habitats.
Drinking water in scarce supplies on some continents.
Drought is a big problem on some continents.
Failure of Nuclear power stations has left huge areas uninhabitable where will the next one happen.
So far we have not being hit by an asteroid.
For those of us who are left we have to maximize our food production unfortunately for those who live in the good old days they are long gone. Those who believe the Vegan way of life is the only way to go off with you. Those left with the survival skills to hunt and trap may be the only ones to survive. Either way it does not look too rosy no matter what you think or do as an individual.
It was only last week when people thought we were great at recycling and now they know we are just exporting our rubbish to China that they are asking questions.