Fruit bush stumps

[Vivien]

Happy new year all!
This winter's task is clearing out the final patch of my allotment. It has a mass of old gooseberry & red currant bushes, as well as a mass of brambles. I've cut all the surface branches down now (sore hands to prove it, even with chain mail gloves), but does anyone have any practical suggestions on removing all the stumps. Last year I dug out 4 old gooseberry bushes, and it was really hard work - if there's any easier way other than hiring a JCB, I'd be very grateful indeed.
Many thanks.
Vivien

[Jenny Green]

Not sure how you did it last year, but as far as I'm aware gooseberries and redcurrants aren't great at sprouting from left over roots. So one way to make it easier is just to free up enough of the roots for you to see them, then cut them through with loppers or a saw. You will of course get roots left in the soil, so this also depends on what you want to use the site for.
Another method of making it easier is to persuade someone else to do it for you! Something along the lines of "I'm far too weak and pathetic to do this myself, but I'm sure YOU could manage it no trouble!"

[richard p]

before jcbs were common we used to winch out tree stumps with a tractor mounted winch, perhaps you could try a small hand winch, like those on older car recovery trailers? . u will need somesort of anchor, a tree, iron stake hammered in the ground?? or have u seen the ratchet straps used for tying things on trailer one of them would be as good as a winch and should be in any car or caravan accessory shop,(may have a small winch also) or borrow one off a passing lorry. by the way winching works best if u can attach to the bush well above ground level,

[nog]

My new plot was covered with Brambles (edge to edge), I cut them off flush with my Brushcutter then burned all the cutting on the plot and then raked all the embers over the plot to burn the weeds and bits I had missed.

I will now rotovate the plot. This should allow me to pick out the roots or will loosen the soil so that I can hack them out with a matock. I don't know an organism that can survive a good matocking.