Stumped

For as long as I can remember, a stump seemed necessary for our woodland garden.  Several previous attempts to remove a stump have provided only education.  Anyone that has seen pictures of storm tossed trees should know the overwhelming size of their root mass.  This reality failed to fully register with me despite many wasted hours spent trying to dig up moderately sized tree stumps.  When this stump came into view, another attempt at extraction was undertaken.

This area of the former farm here has been used since colonial times as a stone dump while clearing the nearby field.  No new stone has been dumped here in many decades but the dead vegetation that fell on these stones already here became a dark rich soil that we call duff.  The combination of minerals from stone and developing leaf litter produces unusually rich soil.  When the seed that grew into this tree fell here, its roots could find no path down into the ground.  Instead a ninety degree turn to the west provided the roots with anchorage and nutrition.  My five foot pry bar quickly found a path under the main root and a totally intact stump became my prize.

The depth of the root mass on this stump would have required a deep hole.  Sumac roots form an impenetrable barrier to deep digging.  This woodland ground was recently dumped here so that desired plants could be placed in this new ground come spring.  That depth of new soil allowed a hole deep enough to receive the stump without damaging any sumac roots.  The north south orientation of the stump was preserved so that its new home has the moss growing on the north side.

Now we have all winter to decide just how to plant this new ground.  Wild ginger already here will advance toward the stump from the right.  With any luck we will be able to someday harvest ginger close to the stump thereby limiting its growth.  We believe that a slowly rotting stump will support natural growth for a Lady slipper plant.  A smaller stump close to the bench is home for a Yellow lady slipper.  This might be a suitable home for a truly expensive Lady slipper plant.  Hepaticas are already planned for the area next to the stone line that defines the path.

This is the root mass that was sawed from the stump.  It will find a home in the shade garden also.  To me it looks like a dinosaur skull.  We are excited at the prospect of what will grow on this root mass now that it above the ground in sunlight.  It will be placed near moss and we will watch its transformation.  Just how often does a seventy-five year old actually get something that he has wanted for a long time?  This stump is a truly impressive find.