Two Small Juniper Tree Stumps were blocking the progress on the garden terrace project - They had to be Removed. I was all set and had the hardwood ready to burn these stumps out of the ground, but in the pickaxe trenching preperation around the first stump, I realized this job was going to be a much easier - no fire required.

Stump 1 Removal with Pickaxe and Cats

A pickaxe, leverage, and gravity were used to remove the first stump. The pickaxe was used to first remove dirt and rocks from the stump while hacking the roots at multiple angles. In the screen capture below you can the use of body weight and gravity to help leverage this stump out of the ground.

The best way to own this particular stump is with a root hack using the pickaxe - brute-force is most useful here - using the axe side.

The pick side does do a great job at breaking into tougher ground that is filled with clay and various sizes of rocks. Picked rocks are tossed aside to the pile outside of the garden space for use later.

While I was working away on the stump in the garden, one of my cats decided to use my soon to be garden as a litter box. The other cat is always in stalking mode so he soon enough chases him out of the picture.

Stump 1 Removal Video:

Stump 2 Removal with Pickaxe and Chainsaw

The second stump has a large tap root going straight down that I end up sheering off with the chainsaw.

As you can see in the screen capture above from the second stump video, a large field rock is briefly brought into the mix.

I could have kept hacking, and I'm not above sinking my wood axe into the dirt, but I felt this was a great time for the cordless 20v chainsaw.

After using the chainsaw to cut through the large tap root, the second and last stump is easily twisted out of the ground.

Stump 2 Removal Video

Garden Stumps Removed

In the picture below you can see the small juniper tree stumps that were removed - and the tools used to remove them.

Now I can finish leveling and creating the terrace garden beds and irrigation ditches - and then start seeding and transplanting.

Previous posts that may interest you:

• Contest: Looking for Your Garden Layouts - Existing or Planned :: 6 SBD in Prizes
• Back Acres: Building the Garden Terrace and Lower Rock Retention Wall
• Back Acres: Constructing a Tractor Path to bring Field Rocks - for the Garden Terrace Retention Walls
• Back Acres: Making an A-Frame Level for Staking the Garden Terrace Contour Line
• Clearing Trees for the Garden and Lumber - with a Pick Axe, Folding Saw, and Electric Chainsaw

Have a Great Day!