What kind of problems did you have in mind? Personally, I'd just leave it unless it prevented you from planting something else or something like that. I can see potential problems with removal, but I can't think of any likely problems with leaving it (if it's not in the way of something).

Thanks brandon :)

I am concerned about the decaying stump/roots attracting insects.

Also, I found a few threads about whether these trees send up shoots, but I wasn't able to learn anything definitive. I did find one youtube video where they surrounded the stump with bricks and started it on fire. Um, not sure I want to do thatâ¦these are pretty close to the house, and even if they weren't so close, I think there must be a better wayâ¦

As long as I have the tree removal people here, I'd like to do whatever is necessary to have the trees removed correctly. I just don't know what that is. I had retained the services of an arborist to take care of these trees, but somehow there was a mixup and the trees did not receive preventative treatment for some time. That resulted in spider mites and fungus. They have taken full responsibility and have amicably agreed to take down the trees. I don't want to be unreasonable about the stump/roots, so am trying to be as informed as possible.

Thanks again!

I had a couple of Cupressus sempervirens, 'Fastiagata' and 'Swanes's Golden'. Unfortunately I planted them in soil that was 'too good' for them and they were always getting floppy and needed to be trimmed several times a year. That was a minor maintenance hassle, but then along came a colder than normal week of single digit F. temps that burned them to the point of unsightliness so I cut them down. The stump on the 'Swane's' Golden' was several inches high and it sprouted a small shoot. The other one was short and didn't sprout. I cut that off and had no more problems. The rootballs for both are still there under the mulch and groundcover I guess. I had forgotten about them until you posted crazybusytoo.
I echo Brandon's advice, don't worry about them unless you want to plant right where the stumps are.
Mike

100% round up is LABELED for stump killing..

i owuld cut them flush to the ground .... and then use the very expensive applicator at the link to put down a thin line of product [the round up.. if i have to say as much.. lol] ... on the cambian layer.. which is just inside the bark ...

most conifers will not resprout.. but this is a failsafe... as i am not sure on ICyp ....

there are other chemical options.. and your tree guy should take care of such ...

on my 5 acres.. i would not bother removing the stumps ... but then.. nothing would be that close to the house...

i am not familiar with bad bugs in your zone ... call your county extension office.. and see what they have to say about it ...

and if you are doing it yourself... do not delude yourself into trying to do it in one cut.. you arent paul Bunyan ... lol ... make as many cuts so as to be safe.. and then the last surgical one at the ground....

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Just to avoid confusion, when Ken says 100% RoundUp, that's not what he means! The "normal" concentrated stuff (about 18% glyphosate), that you get at Home Depot or Lowes, is what you need. Just don't use the Read-to-Use stuff and don't mix what you buy with any more water before application.

They won't re-sprout. So don't bother with herbicide.

Thank you everyone! I appreciate your insight.

Hey Ken, that's a great applicator. I could feed the tree removal crew to get an empty bottle. Thanks for the tip!

How about just nail

in copper nails?