RebeccaWohio
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Blank Canvas help!

Need help with a few things. What's the best way to remove tree stumps? Will that affect new plants? Hoping to put a lilac bush in back corner soon...
How do I prepare this space for plants?
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ButterflyLady29
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Does that spot get enough light for a lilac? It looks kind of shady to me.

Have the stumps been treated with a stump killer? If they haven't you'll have a huge mess from the sprouts in a couple years.

I'm a lazy gardener when it comes to stumps. I've planted around them and covered them with raised beds. In your situation I would not put a raised bed in that spot because the roots from the shrubs along the fence will invade the beds and suck the moisture and nutrients from the beds. Set pots around them or plant stuff that will hide them and mulch heavily around them.

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rainbowgardener
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You can hire someone with an augur to drill the stump out.

Or cover the stump across the top and all around the sides with plenty of charcoal, light it, and burn the stump out. When I did that, the embers smoldered for a few days and burned out even the roots in the soil.

But I agree, it looks like a very shady spot for a lilac. Even if it survives there, it may not bloom well. If you want a shrub there, look for one that is more shade tolerant.

If you tell us where you are located, we can make some suggestions for shrubs for shady spots.

Welcome to the Forum!

RebeccaWohio
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Thanks! We are in Columbus, Ohio.

We haven't actually tried anything with the stumps. My husband thinks he will be able to remove the smaller one. We will try the charcoal trick, I think, for the bigger one.

The space has sun for the last few hours of the day (maybe 4 hours or so). The plant is a dwarf Korean lilac. The tag said partial sun so I just assumed it would be ok there.

We are also planning on putting a pergola with swing at the front part of the curve, and have this be a nice little relaxing corner.
We have a long way to go! (And more research)

RebeccaWohio
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This is a picture I found on Pinterest that I love.
Are our dreams too big for our space?!

We can extend more into yard too.
I'd like the pergola swing, some pretty fragrant flowers, bird bath and bird feeders. :mrgreen:
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rainbowgardener
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Well some places say "part to full sun" for the Korean dwarf lilac, some just say full sun (https://www.naturehills.com/lilac-dwarf-korean). In general lilacs are full sun plants and in general a plant that is rated part to full sun is likely to bloom better with more sun. I would find a sunnier spot for your lilac.

It looks like you have plenty of space for your little pergola. Think about the view you will be looking at, sitting in the swing, and site it for the best view.

ButterflyLady29
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Inside city limits? Then don't try burning it out. Columbus is very intolerant (at least in most neighborhoods) of any burning that isn't in a grill.

Not enough light for a Korean lilac. It can take partial shade (only a couple hours) in southern states but not Ohio. There are many other shrubs that would do well there. This is a link to a good list: https://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews ... hrubs.html but you'll have to see if there are any walnut or hickory trees in the yards next to yours. Some of those shrubs won't survive being near walnuts or hickories.

I would set up your swing and pergola before trying to place any plants in the area. Always do the hardscaping first. Although it's very difficult to bypass those clearance sales that are going on now. Check Lowes and Meijer, both of them have some good selections of hosta and other shade loving perennials. I would also get some wood chip or bark mulch to spread on the ground. Mulch is nicer to look at than bare ground.

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rainbowgardener
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"Inside city limits? Then don't try burning it out. Columbus is very intolerant (at least in most neighborhoods) of any burning that isn't in a grill. "

Depends on how rebellious you are! :) I was four miles from downtown Cincinnati at the time. I'm sure if I had asked someone for permission they would have said no. But heck, the charcoal is just sitting there smoldering. It isn't going anywhere. To be sure you can wet down the area around your stump. Mine was in my front yard facing onto a busy street. No one said anything.

ButterflyLady29
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True, once it's burning underground there's not much they can do to make you put it out. As for complaints, a lot depends on the neighborhood and your neighbors.

Of course you could always put a fire ring around it and cook some hot dogs or brats over it. Outdoor fires for cooking are totally legal.



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