My 40 year old birch tree is dying and large branches have fallen down. We had to cut it urgently as it was a hazard for humans and animals. There is un ugly stump from the former four branches and many suckers in the ground. What shall we do? Grind the stump and put sod?
Wait for the suckers to grow and produce a new tree?
Remove the stump with its roots?
Thank you

Hi & welcome! That sounds like unfortunate drama. Are you able to add a pic? Some stumps are great planter stands, some just don't have much going for them. Growing a vine over those can be fun.

Ditto on above...
If you choose to allow the sprouts to grow, you can choose the best looking one and take out the rest... I've regrown perfectly reasonable oak and mulberry trees that way.

As far as a stump grinder?
I think those are unnecessary.

They don't really do anything... take the wood down to the soil surface and leave the rest of the trunk in place... Those left over roots can still regenerate!

If you want the tree gone... I would allow the sprouts to grow for an entire year, and then take out with an axe. That usually works better than taking the sprouts out as soon as they are evident.

The looming question is what killed the tree in the first place? Borers? If 'yes', and you want a new clump, you should have an immediate plan to deal with whatever killed the tree.

If you want to kill the stump and epicormic sprouts, there is a product called Tordon RTU (ready to use). Simply prune sprouts off near the bade and paint the cut with the product. It's very effective.

You can also starve the plant by removing any new growth immediately, before it has the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the tree's food supply (sugar made during photosynthesis).

If you can deal with the original cause of the tree's demise, you can surely start a new clump from the shoots. That's usually best done by cutting the stump back almost flush with the soil line and choosing sprouts that originate close to the ground.


Image of a maple taking it's first step toward a clump/grove style bonsai - same principle/concept.
Al

Thank you all so much!

In a drouth, a tree sheds leaves, then branches, then the base dies. It takes awhile, but can happen in a single summer.