Working on the crater in the side yard

[Clipper]

The tree company did a great job of cleaning up the downed tree and as a bonus they actually were able to wiggle and tug and wiggle some more and tug some more and eventually were able to pull the stump and a significant portion of the roots out of the ground. All that is left evident is a large piece of the tap root that is ripped off jagged and protruding from the ground in the bottom of the hole. It protrudes about a foot above ground level so I am going to have to dig around it with a shovel and cut it out with my chain saw. I sharpened an older chain that I can sacrifice after cutting the dirty stump.

This hole is probably 8 or 10 feet across and 2-3 feet deep in the center. I imagine that filling the hole will leave me in need of Theragesic and a hot shower for tired old muscles and bones. I ordered a small 5 ton load of fill dirt to fill the hole. Unfortunately the area is not accessible for the dump truck so I will have it dumped in the driveway and will have to wheel it to the hole in the wheelbarrow. Our septic drain field prevents backing up to the hole with a truck. I just hope that the dirt that is still there after they removed the stump will be enough to supplement the 5 tons and leave me able to level it up and plant grass.

[Atticus Pizzaballa]

Hey I got an idea for you. What with the size of the hole it certainly would make a fantastic water lily pond with a small waterfall effect and some koi swimming. Planting along the edges of your knew pond are beyond imagination.

[Atticus Pizzaballa]

Come to think this would also make for a great front yard landscape project the CB could do for his wife.

[Clipper]

We already did the pond thing. When we moved here there was a coy pond between the house and the garage. That lasted two years with all the algae problems and cost of the chemicals, not to mention the labor of taking care of the damned thing. I told a neighbor that he could have it if he came and dug it out and filled the hole where it was. I gave away all the accessories and fish too. Under water lighting, a little arch bridge that I had built, a fountain and about 20 coy fish.


The hot humid weather here caused an almost constant algae problem. I had better things to do with my time than to be on my knees working on the pump and filter or cleaning the darned algae around the edges of the pond.

[BHU]

I had the same deal here with a stump left over from a pine tree that was taken out when a maple from Mr Ambitious' yard came down & took out our tree. I cut the stump down to ground level then used a sawzall, pickaxe, a lopper & my back to get most of it out. I ended up covering the what was left with a few bags of topsoil, leveled it off & Mother Nature can take care of the rest.