STUMPED

Cast your mind back to November 2021 when we chopped down the crab apple tree (post – Don’t Get Crabby).  Most of the tree except a stump was removed at the time.  To kill the stump, we drilled lots of holes in the top and filled them with water hoping that the damp, cold, wintry British weather would permeate the stump and cause the wood to naturally rot.

 

November 21 - removing the crab apple tree

What were we thinking?  Unsurprisingly, the tree didn’t die out because nature always finds a way and this year’s winter was quite mild so 6 months down the line, we’re having to dig out the stumpy remains of the crab apple.

 

Bet you thought I was dead

It’s hard work digging out a tree stump.  Not sure how much professional companies charge for this sort of job but whatever it is, they deserve every penny. I won’t be giving up my day job to become a stump remover that’s for sure.

 

Digging out stumps is hard work

Not budging an inch

Blackie supervises proceedings from the safety of a nearby wheelbarrow whilst our fat mog, Bertie, is happily snoring under the bed.

 

Any Dreamies under that tree stump?

With stump gone and roots cut back as much as possible, I only hope we won’t see any further evidence at a later date of crab apple growth in the lawn.  Plants are incredibly resilient.

 

I think we got most of it out

Next job on the list – fit solar pond pump in new pond.  Relatively easy unlike tree stump removal, not a drop of sweat on the brow.  Now we have a lovely fountain in the middle of our new pond and what’s more, it’s all powered for FREE!

 

Solar powered pond pump & plants

Stump gone, fountain flowing and the general area at the back of the house cleared, its time for a cuppa and to let the builders prepare for the first phase of our extension build – the footings.  More about this in the next post.

Clearing the garden ready for the builders

All set for work to begin