Emphasis Preaching Journal

If you've ever tried to remove a stump from your yard, you know what strength deep roots have. One popular strategy I've seen used with limited success is to attach a heavy chain to the stump and attempt to pull it out of the ground with a vehicle. This usually leads to a great deal of frustration on the part of the driver and very deep ruts under the truck's tires. Another strategy that I've heard works quite well is to buy some dynamite and a couple of blasting caps and blow the stubborn stump out of the ground. While that approach appeals to the 10-year-old rebel in all of us, it's not the safest method available. The other method I've heard of is to burn the stump out with chemicals or even a controlled fire. But even if you eventually can remove the stump, you still have to contend with the root system. There is just about no way to get rid of all the roots without bringing in heavy equipment to dig up the whole area. Such is the strength of deep roots.

--Parlette