Topic: Growing shrubs, fruit trees over old tree trunks?

[Chris Graham]

Is this possible ?

When i moved into my new house in March 2006, we removed 6 very large fir trees (40 year old) so you can imagine the size of trunks that have been left. 

What i want to know is.........if i build up the soil over the trunks creating a box type boarder could i grow fruit trees and bushes?  Only thinking of berries and strawberries and other small shrubs. There is no way i could remove the trunks but they have been cut down to ground level and have space between each for downward growth.

Is this a pointless exercise or should i just build my Astronomy observatory over the area ?

The attached image shows the area in question and a wee pic of me and my scope  ;) you can just make out the stumps arrowed in red.

[Merry Tiller]

Honey fungus could be a major problem if you dont get rid of the stumps :'(

[jennym]

Blackberry would probably do alright there, or loganberry, as you can train the growth upwards onto wires which you could put along the fence. They are pretty tough, and if you get thorny ones they make a good burglar deterrent  ;D

[Mrs Ava]

I agree with MT re the honey fungus as we were in a similar situation when we cut down a row of conifers when we first moved in.  However, we had no choice, couldn't get rid of all the stumps, so chanced it.  I now have strawbs in one bed and a mixed perennial and shrub border in the other.  Also have a clematis which I grew from seed slowely clambering up one of the trunks we decided to leave behind for some strange reason.  Got to be worth a go.

Great scope by the way!!  I should imagine you could see my place from there!!!!!!  :o

[saddad]

If you like Blackberries a large thorny Silvan or Fantasia would fill all that space!
 8)

[ACE]

Use some stump rot on them, just drill a few holes and pour it in, with fir being a softwood it will not take that long. The chemicals in stump rot also stop honey fungus starting.