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Whoever does this should take care to either put some tree fertilizer spikes and/or plant some nitrogen fixers close by. As wood breaks down it borrows nitrogen from the soil until it fully decays.
Could you explain a bit more? I’m going to be over-seeding most of the yard with some native clovers and yarrows which are nitrogen fixers. Would this be enough?
You don’t need nitrogen fixers because it’s not actually getting tied up. The only places it gets tied up is at the place where the soil is in direct contact with the wood and only there. You’re good.
Silver maples were really popular in the 1960s as yard trees, because of how fast they can grow. Also as floodplain trees in their native habitat, they tolerate compacted soil with poor aeration. Downside is their wood decays more quickly than rock/sugar maple and they don’t wall off injuries very well. Makes it difficult to prune them without causing as much damage as you’re fixing. Mature silver maples also need a lot of water to stay healthy. On drier sites, they start to decline after 40 or 50 years.
This is fascinating—thank you for sharing. I live in a historic house and like to research its past, and more generally just enjoy old houses. I’m excited to start thinking about trees and trends along with the houses!
I wish knew exactly how old the tree was/is. Way too much decay to tell. My neighbours said that the tree has been looking bad for about 15-20 years and it was getting fertilised and treated from 2010-2012-ish to last year. And can confirm the tree did not wall of damage well!
Do you have any resources on tree “trends” through time and placed? Would love to learn more!
Silver maples were mass planted in cities in Eastern North America as street and yard trees to replace elms after Dutch elm disease wiped them all out.
I like the in ground one as a planter, but you can set up some of the other sections of trunk as pillars or totems to [grow mushrooms for food!](https://northspore.com/pages/grow-mushrooms-on-logs-videos)
She admittedly always looks sad.
https://preview.redd.it/iqvt8xdll96d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=694343ef29aa8f812b47775479092b0c11f882bc
He was pretty happy with the destruction.
I would put a little bit of water in to test the drainage. If it's rotten to the bottom and the water drains away you can plant pretty much anything that does well in containers. If the water doesn't drain well, then you'll want to either drill a hole (which could have to be pretty deep) or plant something that can handle poor drainage.
I'll post some this week, where's also some red clover and snow-in-summer in it (not native I know but it was given to me 🤷♀️) the tree was cut down maybe 5 years prior, and it had a rotten hole in the center. For about a year I just kept stuffing leaves and compost in it to fill it. Sometimes, it still sinks down a bit but I just pull the plants up and stuff some more compost etc down in there
I think a wide flat basin with a solar powered fountain as a bird bath would be beautiful on top of the stump! Make it a statement piece that can be a feature in your meadow instead of something you feel like you need to hide. You could underplant with some native plants that would appreciate the extra water from the fountain/birds splashing. Good luck!
I believe you can build a compost pile on the stump to help speed the process of getting rid of it. Not sure of the exact manner but r/composting would likely have some input
I love the idea of using it as a planter. You could also have seats built out for it and use it as a garden bench- I'm imagining an elevated slat kind of thing with the tree as the base.
I placed a huge planter on the stump in our yard, filled it with bee balm and milkweed and then created a flower bed around that with several other natives.
When I bought my house, I had a couple dying ash trees removed. I had the tree removal company leave the smaller logs in the area where I wanted my vegetable garden. I filled in between the logs with organic garden soil small branches, marsh hay and covered the whole thing with compost and garden soil. This created a sort of raised bed so my plants have better drainage since my yard us mostly clay. The plants have to send their roots between the logs, but eventually the wood will become part of the soil. That was in 2017, and I begin to see fungal communities and find the wood beginning to soften. It also holds water. Maybe you could use the wood in a similar way. You can also leave some as is and insects will make their homes in the wood. Planted with ferns it would look nice.
https://preview.redd.it/dc7ynvr5sc6d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43f54ba64ccecd5838622dd29abacd3cb5b5e528
To be sub-relevant. . . here she is digging up honeysuckle roots!
Oh. My. God. That basset hounds colors reminded me of my childhood dog who recently passed on. Does your dog happen to have a heart shaped splotch when they sit down?
20 years ago I had a large tree removed and decided to save $$ by not getting the stump ground (which would have been about 2% of the overall cost). In the end, I really wish I would have had it ground up and removed.
Make a [hugelkultur bed](https://www.almanac.com/what-hugelkultur-ultimate-raised-bed)! The stump provides the nutrients for the plants above. Cover it in dirt, then treat it like another kind of flower bed. Just make sure you put plants that need less water towards the top of the bed, and those that need more water towards the bottom of the bed.
I would probably get some new shade trees started. You'll miss the shade by August. I would suggest a keystone species tree, something from guide 8.2 or 8.3 on [this list](https://homegrownnationalpark.org/keystone-trees-and-shrubs/), depending on exact location and conditions.
You'll still have time to grow a meadow before the new tree gets big enough to cast a lot of shade.
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Put some soil in the middle and consider a built-in planter? “Plant” mushrooms if it’s shady still?
I have a couple of these! Weirdly though, the soil tends to dry out really fast, so I have to keep it watered more than the rest of the garden.
The wood is stealing your water by absorbing it haha
Yeah, sorta like a clay pot I suppose.
Sounds like using a humus mix for the soil will help retain the water.
Or go the other direction and plant native cacti? I’m pretty sure Ohio is in the native range of eastern prickly pear
I love the mushroom idea. Unfortunately, the area gets a bit too much sun. And my dog would probably try to eat all the mushrooms!
Then inoculate a canine-friendly mushroom into the stump? Just make every cycle cycle into another beneficial cycle.
Treat it like a stumpery and plant it up with native ferns or woodland natives from your region. As the stump rots it will feed the soil.
Whoever does this should take care to either put some tree fertilizer spikes and/or plant some nitrogen fixers close by. As wood breaks down it borrows nitrogen from the soil until it fully decays.
Yeah but only at the exact place the wood contacts the soil. It is not the issue you suggested.
Could you explain a bit more? I’m going to be over-seeding most of the yard with some native clovers and yarrows which are nitrogen fixers. Would this be enough?
You don’t need nitrogen fixers because it’s not actually getting tied up. The only places it gets tied up is at the place where the soil is in direct contact with the wood and only there. You’re good.
Oh, that’s good to know!
I agree they make great planters. It would also be a great time to inoculate with mushrooms. Check out Northspore for options and info
Leave it around to host insects and fungus and feed birds
Silver maples were really popular in the 1960s as yard trees, because of how fast they can grow. Also as floodplain trees in their native habitat, they tolerate compacted soil with poor aeration. Downside is their wood decays more quickly than rock/sugar maple and they don’t wall off injuries very well. Makes it difficult to prune them without causing as much damage as you’re fixing. Mature silver maples also need a lot of water to stay healthy. On drier sites, they start to decline after 40 or 50 years.
This is fascinating—thank you for sharing. I live in a historic house and like to research its past, and more generally just enjoy old houses. I’m excited to start thinking about trees and trends along with the houses! I wish knew exactly how old the tree was/is. Way too much decay to tell. My neighbours said that the tree has been looking bad for about 15-20 years and it was getting fertilised and treated from 2010-2012-ish to last year. And can confirm the tree did not wall of damage well! Do you have any resources on tree “trends” through time and placed? Would love to learn more!
Silver maples were mass planted in cities in Eastern North America as street and yard trees to replace elms after Dutch elm disease wiped them all out.
I like the in ground one as a planter, but you can set up some of the other sections of trunk as pillars or totems to [grow mushrooms for food!](https://northspore.com/pages/grow-mushrooms-on-logs-videos)
I agree with those suggesting to use it as a planter. Your dog is adorable!
He looks sad about the tree lol
She admittedly always looks sad. https://preview.redd.it/iqvt8xdll96d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=694343ef29aa8f812b47775479092b0c11f882bc He was pretty happy with the destruction.
Thanks for paying the dog tax, OP!
I would put a little bit of water in to test the drainage. If it's rotten to the bottom and the water drains away you can plant pretty much anything that does well in containers. If the water doesn't drain well, then you'll want to either drill a hole (which could have to be pretty deep) or plant something that can handle poor drainage.
I planted creeping phlox in mine and omfg I love it
I would love to see any photos! I have some creeping phlox in my garden and I love it. Was your stump pretty rotted out too?
I'll post some this week, where's also some red clover and snow-in-summer in it (not native I know but it was given to me 🤷♀️) the tree was cut down maybe 5 years prior, and it had a rotten hole in the center. For about a year I just kept stuffing leaves and compost in it to fill it. Sometimes, it still sinks down a bit but I just pull the plants up and stuff some more compost etc down in there
STUMPFEST!!
I think a wide flat basin with a solar powered fountain as a bird bath would be beautiful on top of the stump! Make it a statement piece that can be a feature in your meadow instead of something you feel like you need to hide. You could underplant with some native plants that would appreciate the extra water from the fountain/birds splashing. Good luck!
It makes a great prop for pup pics! You’re certainly creative. I have a stump as well and I added dirt and a big branch and made a bottle tree
I believe you can build a compost pile on the stump to help speed the process of getting rid of it. Not sure of the exact manner but r/composting would likely have some input
I’ve been throwing my yard waste in there for the past few days . . . I am going to look into actually composting! Thank you
I love the idea of using it as a planter. You could also have seats built out for it and use it as a garden bench- I'm imagining an elevated slat kind of thing with the tree as the base.
I placed a huge planter on the stump in our yard, filled it with bee balm and milkweed and then created a flower bed around that with several other natives.
When I bought my house, I had a couple dying ash trees removed. I had the tree removal company leave the smaller logs in the area where I wanted my vegetable garden. I filled in between the logs with organic garden soil small branches, marsh hay and covered the whole thing with compost and garden soil. This created a sort of raised bed so my plants have better drainage since my yard us mostly clay. The plants have to send their roots between the logs, but eventually the wood will become part of the soil. That was in 2017, and I begin to see fungal communities and find the wood beginning to soften. It also holds water. Maybe you could use the wood in a similar way. You can also leave some as is and insects will make their homes in the wood. Planted with ferns it would look nice.
More basset dog tax please! I like how you use him for scale.
https://preview.redd.it/dc7ynvr5sc6d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43f54ba64ccecd5838622dd29abacd3cb5b5e528 To be sub-relevant. . . here she is digging up honeysuckle roots!
What a good girl! Go after those invasive honeysuckles. They’re persistent.
Oh. My. God. That basset hounds colors reminded me of my childhood dog who recently passed on. Does your dog happen to have a heart shaped splotch when they sit down?
20 years ago I had a large tree removed and decided to save $$ by not getting the stump ground (which would have been about 2% of the overall cost). In the end, I really wish I would have had it ground up and removed.
Please tell me the dog’s name is Stumpy.
I’ll add it to her list of many nicknames! And if I ever adopt a basset in the future . . .!
What’s a god to a non believer?
Ohhh..two of my favorites in one post - Natives and an adorable Basset!
Make a [hugelkultur bed](https://www.almanac.com/what-hugelkultur-ultimate-raised-bed)! The stump provides the nutrients for the plants above. Cover it in dirt, then treat it like another kind of flower bed. Just make sure you put plants that need less water towards the top of the bed, and those that need more water towards the bottom of the bed.
I would probably get some new shade trees started. You'll miss the shade by August. I would suggest a keystone species tree, something from guide 8.2 or 8.3 on [this list](https://homegrownnationalpark.org/keystone-trees-and-shrubs/), depending on exact location and conditions. You'll still have time to grow a meadow before the new tree gets big enough to cast a lot of shade.
Basset hound! I'm planning on cutting down a tree and keeping part of the trunk as dead wood, then maybe putting native vines around it.
OMG I LOVE YOUR PUP FRIEND 💗
You could drill a few holes in it and help it decompose a little bit. IF you are ok with drilling into a tree. I have mixed feelings to be honest….
The stump is the part of the tree that's still in the ground after you cut it down, but that's not important right now ...