Seeking hatchet advice

[d4]

Instead of a chopping action, perhaps a stabbing and sawing action is more appropriate for this situation. Japanese hori hori garden knife? The serrated edge is razor sharp. A 30-inch round point, digging shovel can do most of the heavy work. Get in there with the hori hori when you encounter a tough root.

[TheCaber]

Epsom salts, poured as granular solids into a hole bored in the trunk stub, will promote breakdown of the trunk and roots, and will not poison the ground (unlike rock salt or other poisons).

Covering the trunk stub with landscaping cloth (or black plastic bag) weighted with stones or bricks to keep it from blowing over/away, after a year should do the trick.

Good luck.

[August West]

Lopping sheears of the folding saw + root killer.

[NewtonMP2100]

.....to kill....???

[BernDog]

rgG wrote:
You need a pruning saw

https://a.co/d/0KGcL4d

Another vote for this. Right around the same price as a hatchet, and the best choice in your situation. Safest, cheapest, easiest. I would use a reciprocating saw, but I have a reciprocating saw.

Loppers/pruners would be best if this were small enough.

As for those advocating for a small chain saw, don’t ever use a chain saw in/near the dirt. You’ll dull the chain in no time.

[TheTominator]

I use this mattock for that purpose. I've cut out many roots with it over the years from large and small trees. Its under $50 but you can probably find lesser brands for $35. Its more than twice the price of the cheapest hatchet but it will do the work more safely and last much longer. It will also be easier assuming you can swing the 5lb weight.

If you are just interested in uprooting saplings in a confined space with the least cost, you can get by with using a jack such as the scissor jack from your car. Lash the base of the tree to the top of your jack and crank away. Lashing it with a chain is best, but twine or a rope will work if you wrap it many times to compensate for the limited strength of your twine.

I use a Hi-Lift jack when uprooting trees manually along a wire fenceline when my other tools can't get into the tight space. When you won't have to work in a very confined space, saplings are uprooted very quickly and easily with a dedicated manual uprooting tool like the PullerBear that grips the base tightly and lets you pry up the tree with ample leverage.

[DewGuy]

Thanks everyone, you given me lots to think about. In the coming days I'll go out there and assess the situation again to make sure that what I remember from last fall is what actually is out there. Once I do that, I'll formulate a plan of attack using all I've learned here and hopefully get rid of these and keep any future ones at bay. Once I accomplish that I'll post an update.

[Spiff]

The pullerbear really seems like the way to go. For wet soggy grounds, bet the extra base to prevent it from sinking into the ground. I might have to get me one of these...

[steve...]

I sold about 60' of a standing 6' chain link fence with poles. The guy that bought it used a farm jack to pull the poles out - concrete and all! I was a pretty happy camper to be rid of it and with $60 in my pocket.

His farm jack looked like an beefy old auto jack, only it was about 4' tall.

[Diana]

Not trying to high jack the topic, as it is similar.

As stated above, I have a spot (in a garden) where the previous owner put a sumac; it was nice while it lived, but we have sometimes severe and unexpected cold (at least for this region). The bush died but the roots lived. As these plants are runner types, it sent up suckers throughout the garden and into the yard. Admittedly I should have been more on top of it, but life happened. Of course, they have come up right next to the foundation as well as out into the yard. This problem needs fixed.

My plan is to cut the suckers down at near ground level (an inch or lower?) to allow for mowing, as well as drilling a hole into the stump and packing it up with epsom salts (thanks for the idea!). I was thinking to use a small chain saw listed above, and as long as it isn’t trying to cut into the dirt it should be okay. I have a hand saw I can use, but between arthritis in my hands and a recent wrist injury, as well as the time required and strength in the hands the saw requires, gives me pause.

Is this doable, or am I looking at a potential problem? If there is one, I’m not seeing it.