A Clever Epsom Salt Hack That'll Help Remove Tree Stumps In Your Yard

If you've ever removed a tree stump from your yard, you know just how frustrating and labor intensive the process can be. Even when cut down to almost the base, stumps can reach depths of several feet, with root systems that span much further. In order to excavate one of these trunks fully, you'll likely need to call in a professional, who may require the use of massive mechanical equipment. Even without professional assistance, brute-forcing a stump out of your lawn can be a costly and elongated process, and one which leaves an unsightly crater behind once accomplished. Luckily, there is a surprisingly easy, extremely cost effective alternative, which allows you to essentially rapidly decay down a tree stump with nothing but patience and a lot of Epsom salt.

Epsom salt (or magnesium sulfate) is a naturally occurring mineral compound which you may already have in your bathroom, garage, or shed. You likely already know that it's great for soaking in the bath tub, de-icing your driveway, or even as a hack to make your lawn greener. Surprisingly, the product is also capable of absorbing and subsequently drawing out the moisture in a tree. At the levels you're using here, it is also toxic to the tree, killing any remaining living tissue. This allows the salt to effectively eat away at your unsightly stump until what's left can be removed with an axe and shovel. It's a safe and inexpensive alternative to dragging the trunk out of the earth with a backhoe or a set of chains strapped to the rear of an F-250.

In order to put this Epsom salt trick to the test in your own backyard, you'll want to pick up a power drill and a 1-inch drill tip roughly 10 inches in length or longer. To get started, drill a number of 10-inch holes into the perimeter and center of the stump, and fill them nearly to the brim with Epsom salt. Some DIYers like to empty out the bag all over the base and facade of the tree trunk as well, though the most important part is compacting the holes. Either way, throw on some water from your very organized garden hose to introduce a bit of moisture to the equation. Don't use so much water that the salt washes away — simply make sure to keep everything moist so the salt has the opportunity to soak into every crevice. From there, cover the whole affair with a tarp and let it sit for several days, weeks, or even months, depending on the size of your tree.

With time, and probably a few additional layers of salt, your stump should rot and turn soft, allowing you to mulch the remaining portion of the tree with basic garden tools alone. The process may be time consuming (especially with larger stumps), but it's much safer than yanking it out with power tools, and much cheaper than hiring a team of professionals to handle it for you. Once removed, the stump can even be repurposed into nutrient-rich soil for your garden. It should be noted that there aren't many concrete studies proving the effectiveness of this method. Even still, a number of homeowners swear by this process, and videos of DIYers employing the Epsom salt technique can be found all over social media.