Killing tree stumps with acid
 

I've had a couple of trees cut down, and the man who did the job advised me to treat the remaining stubs with hydrochloric acid sold in some shops (in Mercadona it's Salfuente) to kill the tree stumps.
I've carried out the treatment and been careful using it as I appreciate what it is, however what I want to know is, has this been a waste of time, will this product do as I've been told it will and if not has anyone a better solution (no pun intended!)?
In addition I had to have my palm tree cut down as it had been hit by the dreaded red weavil. I'm left with a small tree stump which looks quite attractive, but I don't want it to start growing again in any way. I know little or nothing about gardening, so my other question is, will this cut down palm tree start growing again even though it was effectively killed by the weavil and would the above treatment ensure it won't?
Thanks.

Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
 

Hi

I dug out a palm tree which had died from the dreaded weavil and found grubs in the roots! You really do have to destroy the whole tree.

Davexf

Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
 

Thanks for that Dave. On the small stump I intended to place some decorative feature or pot for plants which I think would make quite a nice feature. Alternatively I'd build something around it to on which to place something.
This stump, although not very high, is very wide and would take more time and expense I think to dig up completely. I certainly couldn't do it!
So, can I just kill it and the roots with something? Hope I can!

Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
 

Drill a large hole in the top of the stump, big enough to hold just over a pint. Fill hole with a pint of milk and seal. Seal must be rain tight. It will take a few years but will work.

Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
 

Thanks for that tip. Sounds more reasonable than digging up the whole thing!
As a matter of interest, why milk?

Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
 

I do not know.:o It was a tip i was given years ago. I have used it and it works!

Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
 

That will do me then, if it works, it works!
Thanks.

Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
 

It acts as a feed for bacteria, bacteria help break the stump down.

Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
 

I was advised by one of my swedish friends that hammering in copper nails also kills trees/stumps?

Has anyone used this technique before?

Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
 

Its a very slow way to kill a tree, many large oaks have copper nails in them from the 20's, I've found them when felling them. If the tree is less than a metre in diameter at a meter high then simply strip back the outer bark, leaving the cambium layer and paint on a strong solution of roundup. It will kill the tree.... although if the three is close to your house you might not actually want the tree dead....

Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
 

I believe, hammering in copper nails will kill a tree; albeit not a stump as the sap will have returned to the roots and will therefore not carry the copper, in solution, throughout the stump as it would the tree.

Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
 

No, it won't.

Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
 

OK. I bow to your greater knowledge.

Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
 

Try substituting the milk with old engine oil.

Re: Killing tree stumps with acid
 

I think I'd heard powdered milk as opposed to milk, though that was many moons ago and I know less than nothing about gardening really.:unsure: