Spectracide Stump Remover Granules, 1-Pound, 6-Pack

Worked

Works as advertised

Complete waste of money

I had a small stump that I wanted to remove. Perhaps about 4 inches across. I cut it to the ground, followed the instructions and drilled more than enough holes into the stump, and applied the product multiple times. I have seen some changed in the stump, but it's been 4 months, and the stump is still there. It's in a location that it doesn't bother me too much, but if you really need to get rid of a stump, I'm not too certain that this is the product for you. After all of the manual work that I had to do to prepare the area, I was expecting more from the product. I should've just dug it out.

I drilled 1/2” holes all around stump from the cut to the sides. Then I took an axe and hit it several dozen times. Making sure stump was soaked with water and tools away. I applied a half a bottle of the stump remover which covered it too and sides white. Two weeks I left it alone. Through good and bad weather.After two weeks I burned one stump which of course burned well as this is 50% oxygen chemically. And it burned to level ground. Had to clean bits with axe. But I can mow over now with no hits.Second stump I axed away at it. The stump had become very spongey and easy to level off to ground level.Not to mentions. Makes for a great nitrate in those who make their own black powder or model RC rockets.

Started using this product month ago and drilled and filed the holes as directed. The stump has not deteriorated at all!

The media could not be loaded. I have a huge stump on my hands that was present upon buying the property. Started with drilling holes top sides each to meet one another for air drafting also put oil on your drill bit as drilling to prevent bit stoppage or drill burning up. FOLLOW DIRECTIONS ON BOTTLE CAN’T STRESS ENOUGH !! ESPECIALLY CONTINUING HOT WATER DAYS AFTER APPLICATION. This began this deterioration of the green wood still present in my stump. I also (before) dumped used motor oil all over it. It sucked it up like a sponge. I placed 25lbs of charcoal around the base meticulously added some kinlin and firewood then dowsed the charcoal in lighter fluid. POOF as you can see the center burned out first I give grate credit to the STUMP REMOVER (potassium nitrate) it did degrade decompose and where placed began the removal process. The value of $5.99 a bottle and Prime was comparable to store shelf products locally but they were not a concentrated potassium nitrate as Stump Remover. You can also use Kerosene Vegetable Oil Diesel Fuel (nasty fumes) BUT gasoline IS NOT RECOMMENDED !! Stump removal would have cost me $300. (Estimate)

Basically, this is a relatively fine powder of potassium nitrate, of which this is just Spectracide's packaging that is no different from any other potassium nitrate. I took out a bunch of large shrubs 3-4 years ago. Afterward, I used some high-grade potent brush killer to completely kill the stumps (they're quite dead), drilled some large holes in the stumps about 1" apart (as many as each stump could take), and then started using potassium nitrate according to the advice, which is to follow it up with very hot water to dissolve it into the stump. I've been doing that for several years, and I've tried both while the stumps are very dry and putting plastic over the stumps for a while. So far the potassium nitrate is just not having any effect on the stumps. Several years of doing this has left me with the 6 stumps, 4 of which are showing not a sign of decomposition, and two have started to but are still mostly intact. That's after 3-4 years of doing this!!I've alternated between Spectracide's version and a couple of others and the brand isn't going to make a difference. I don't fault Spectracide here because theirs is the same as any other, though they do get some points for having put it in a nice bottle with a well shaped top.My rating is more about the efficacy of using potassium nitrate to accelerate rot in a stump. It isn't about the relative quality of Spectracide's product offering relative to any others. The problem is that I see no evidence at all that the potassium nitrate regularly dissolved into a stump through drilled holes has any impact at all on the decomposition of a stump. Mine are just not showing any result beyond what I'd have expected with no treatment. I've just bought one final round of this for some reason, perhaps desperate hope. I'm really tired of these stumps being in the way of being able to plant other shrubs for several years now, so if I still have no progress in a few months time, I'll have to just resort to the old kerosene and controlled burn that I was trying very hard to avoid because they're really close to the house. Or maybe I just drill even more holes and then try chopping them up with something. I don't know. I don't intend to wait more years for them to rot naturally.But I'm saying here that if you're looking for decomposition to happen, don't rely on this stuff, whether this brand or any other. If you have some other use for potassium nitrate, the fair price of this and the nice packaging will make this a decent choice. I did end up using a bit to do some of the experiments in mixing with sugar to get a nicely combustible mixture which is fun to ignite on some kind of safe surface (a large metal pan works well). That's a more productive use than rotting a stump.Maybe others have had better luck with the stuff than me, and somebody is bound to suggest that the stumps aren't actually dead. I'm certain they are dead, and maybe there is something about the type of wood that matters.