Ideas for removing small stump easily

[Snow]

I cut down my jap acer in the autumn and hoped it would begin rotting. It's still very solid. I have health problems which mean I have zero strength and can't exert myself. Any ideas how to get it out? My best idea at the mo is to dig some soil out the way (it's pretty loose) and cut the main bit out with an electric saw (which I'll need to go buy).
Anyone got an alternative idea?

[Bigmallly]

I bought one of these & have removed several "small" stumps.

[Snow]

See that is an EXCELLENT idea! Thanks.
I just need to see tomorrow if I can find a suitable anchor point. Presumably it needs to be something more sturdy than the stump.

[Snow]

You got me thinking. I might try a hydrolic jack first, try and pump it out with that. Reckon that might work too, and the benefit is that I already have one.

[Guest]

You got me thinking. I might try a hydrolic jack first, try and pump it out with that. Reckon that might work too, and the benefit is that I already have one.

This sort of set up is what I thought of doing when I had the problem How to Remove Shrubs and Shrub Roots

In the end some one else done it with a similar contraption to BM as I didn't get round to it
However all other stumps I live with cut of at ground level, if there is a chance they will shoot I wack in some copper nails (the time it takes for the nails to work varies)

[Kristen]

To use a winch it helps not to cut the stump right down - leaving 4' sticking out of the ground gives something to lever about to loosen the plant and get it out.

[arpoet]

I left about 2 foot of stump from an old Holly tree. I then drilled holes all over the stump so that wild bees and other insects can over winter in them. The stump is not in my way so i dont care how long it takes to rot down.

[Snow]

I didn't leave much above ground unfortunately. It needs to go soon as it's where I'm growing veg this year.

[Bohobumble]

Loosening the soil will help and may well expose a substantial root to attach your winch/equivalent to.

I have dug up a couple in my time and it was much easier to pull at and snip away once the majority of the roots were exposed.

[Snow]

It's out. It was a hard. I could get a jack stand on it and push it but it was too subtle. I'm sure with a more solid stump it would have snapped the roots. I then considered the idea of a hand winch but the only thing I could have attached it to was the fence post. I didn't want to risk damaging that and creating a second much harder job for myself. So I dug around and sawed at each root. It was soft wood, easy to do once the roots were exposed.

So I have it out which is great!
I did obviously compact some soil around where I was kneeling but couldn't be avoided. A bit of a fork in a few weeks and it'll be alright for the spuds to go in. What could be more important?

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

I have a multi stumper to tackle soon. Need to invest in a pick axe first. I will be using that and loppers. Wish me luck.