I’m going to make the assumption you would like to have the Yucca removed, and with your water source as close as it is, I’m also going to assume and recommend you use a natural method to remove the remaining stump.
The closer you can cut the yucca and its existing stump to the ground, the more success you will have removing it by natural means. I realize this will be no easy task. Try to cut your tree or stump down to a height of less than 12 inches above the ground. The key to removing a tree stump naturally is harnessing the natural processes of decay, and putting that to use working on your stump. Commercial stump removal chemicals can be hazardous to the surrounding environment, and as such, I would recommend you use a natural removal method.
Drill as many holes as you can in your stump. Drilling several smaller holes is better than drilling one large one. Make them as numerous and as deep as you can.
Wood that isn’t alive will eventually rot from moisture, insect activity and natural microbes, but may take a number of years to accomplish. This alternative removal method is essentially one way to hasten the natural processes. It doesn’t work over night, but within a year or less, and with any luck, you’ll have reduced the massive tree trunk to a soft pulp that you can just ignore, or safely remove it with the mattock and shovel.
Fill the holes with water, then comes the fertilizer which should be high in nitrogen. Make sure the first number on the bag is the highest, such as Sulfate of Ammonia at 21-0-0. Pour this fertilizer into the holes. Next, soak the holes and the ground evenly around the stump.(if anyone has a problem using the Sulfate of Ammonia, as far as a more “natural method” of removal, then replace it with a Compost Maker, generally available at your local independent nursery or garden center)
If possible, cover your stump up with organic material that will decay, further encouraging decay within the stump. Grass clippings work well for this, as they give off heat as they rot, further improving conditions for fungal growth. Leaf litter or even shredded cedar are also good materials to encourage rot. Keep the area damp as much as possible, and replenish organic material as it decomposes.
Periodically adding nitrogen to your stump and the organic material you heap over it will help encourage bacterial and fungal growth. Until the stump itself begins to decay, fungi will have trouble growing in the nitrogen depleted environment. Periodically add small amounts of fertilizer to the mix, but be careful not to add too much, as you can burn surrounding lawn or plants.
The final step is patience. It doesn’t work over night, but within a year or less, you’ll have reduced the massive tree trunk to a soft pulp that you can just ignore, or safely remove it with the mattock and shovel.
Signed,
DR. GRO-WELL
