We are going to be removing a maple tree that has died and have the stump removed as well. Can we immediately plant a new tree where the stump was?

Greetings Becky:

Short Answer: It is generally "not' recommended to plant a new tree over the top of a recently removed stump. Simply plant the new tree adjacent to the stump, but keep the new planting hole at least three feet away from the stump to allow your new tree ample growing/rooting space (i.e., new trees need adequate mineral soil with good fertility and drainage for proper rooting and water/nutrient uptake).

The reason we generally don't want to plant new trees over the top of existing stumps in yard-like settings is rather simple: the new planting location will have limited mineral soil exposure and inadequate rooting depth for nutrient uptake and structural stability; the sawdust / mulch created from stump grinding has a high carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio, thus compromising nitrogen availability for the new tree; and, settling of the newly planted tree within the cavity of the recently ground stump.

Therefore, it is simply easier to find a suitable planting location adjacent to the old stump to accommodate the needs of your newly planted tree. Depending on the size of the stump, it is generally recommended to plant the new tree at least 3 feet away from the old stump.

Best of luck!

We had a Norway maple (one of three) we planted a few years ago die this year. We would like to replace it with a Cornus kousa 'National' or similar tree.

The maple started to sprout leaves then quit and just died. Would there be a problem with jerking the maple out of the ground and planting the Cornus kousa 'National' in the same hole?

That shouldn't be an issue at all since you're "not" technically planting into a wood-encased, excavated stump-hole...

Hi, I want to plant a tree in a Champaign school courtyard in a spot where a tree was long ago (gone at least 10 years if not more). The stump was never ground so one can still see remnants in a bit of a hole, but they are black and mostly gone. If I dig the space all up with a mattock and put in new soil, can I risk it?

If it has been dead for ten years or so, then the stump and its roots have most likely rotted by this point so your newly planted tree will have a better chance of making it there versus if you would have planted sooner after the removal of the old tree. Adding additional soil is a good idea as you do not want the new seedling to be planted too deep and run the risk of either having it sit in wet conditions too much or burying the root crown and base of the seedling, allowing for rot to develop. Make sure the tree seedling is properly planted and not in a depression and you should be OK.