The tree returns - and is defeated again

Remember the trouble we had with a maple tree growing up under our front fence? Well - at the end of April our neighbor finally cut this tree down. Looking at the stump - it was only eight to nine years old - but the stump was about 10 inches in diameter. It was taller than our house. So - a serious growing tree.

Well - about the end of July - I noticed maple leaves again



Apparently the stump had lots of stored energy, since it's spring growing spurt was cut short. So it decided to send up shoots. Some of these growths were about eight feet tall. Once again - the fence was in jeopardy.


Three weeks ago I took a few board off the fence, and had a go at the stump with an axe. It didn't go well, because the fence had a lower horizontal support at ground level. I don't have a chain saw (the perfect tool for this job, don't you think) - so I used a circular saw to cut the stump down. Piece by piece. I added a few more hits with the axe, and a nice, large, 1-inch drill bit also helped. A little Roundup should help keep the stump moving along the slow path to decaying in place.

So - the grass has started growing again - though September in Portland is turning out to be a very dry one. Less than an inch of rain - less than July or August, I think. Another yard work update is coming - because I need to get the grass short, try and aerate it a little, and put down some grass seed. Gotta fill in those gaps before the winter sets in, and Yukon kills off more patches.