Allowing a tree stump to rot is one of the ways of getting rid of a tree stump without causing too much damage to the environment. Unfortunately, natural decay can take a long time to get rid of a stump. The following tips can help you accelerate the process.

Trim the Stump

The first step is to trim off as much of the tree material as possible. For example, you can use a chainsaw to trim the stump so that it is as close to the ground as possible. This will reduce the effective material that has to rot and reduce the decay period. Excess water, nutrients, and sunlight (among other things) that encourage rotting will penetrate better into the tree if most of it is removed first.

Surround the Stump with Water

One practical tip is to dig a trench around the stump and fill it with water. Ensure the water doesn't drain away completely by always topping it up. If you do this, you starve the stump of air and nutrients that it would otherwise extract from the soil. The waterlogging also forces the stump's roots to absorb as much water as possible, which also encourages the tree to die. Lastly, the water also encourages the decay for the parts of the stump that are already dead.

Cover Up the Stump

There are two main ways of killing a tree. One way is to give it too many resources (such as water and nutrients), and the other way is to deny it all the resources it needs to thrive. Therefore, another tip for killing the stump is to cover it up to deny it crucial resources. For example, you can cover up the stump with a tarp to keep air and sunlight at bay.  Mulch can also do the same thing if you use an abundant amount of it.

Use Nitrogen Fertilizer

Extreme application of fertilizer can also help you kill a tree stump. In this case, you need to drill holes into the stump and pour generous amounts of nitrogen-based fertilizer into the holes. The fertilizer can kill the stump in several ways. For example, it can make the environment too salty for the stump to thrive. It can also encourage the growth of fungi that feeds on the stump and accelerates decay.

Give it Time

In addition to the above tips, you should know that it takes a long time for a tree stump to rot. Rotting is not an overtime thing; you need several months (at the very least). You may also need a combination of the above tips, and keep monitoring the stump, for effective rotting. If you want faster results of stump removal, then opt for other methods such as grinding or excavation.