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Planting New Tree in Healthy Stump Location?

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From: Sue Torrey City: Bolton Landing, NY
We just had to cut down a healthy oak along our driveway to make room for a modular home to be brought in. I'm very upset since this was one of two seemingly "sister" trees that flanked the drive and created a welcoming, symbolic gateway to our Adirondack home. The stump has not been ground. The tree was not diseased. If we hollow out and drill deep enough, can we successfully plant an oak sapling there, or a spruce sapling? Thanks so much in advance.
	Extension Message From: Jay Hayek Extension Specialist, Forestry Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences jhayek@illinois.edu
Hi Sue: Can you -- yes. Should you -- no! The vast majority of professional foresters and certified arborists do not advocate for the planting of new trees in old stumps unless the old stump has been completely ground out and the majority of the wood shavings/saw dust have been removed and replaced with quality topsoil. If stump grinding isn't a viable option, then simply move your new tree planting location 3+ feet away from the old/existing stump. Thanks for the question and best of luck!
From: Sue Torrey City: Bolton Landing, NY
Thank you, Jay, for the reply, even tho it's not the answer I wanted! We'll install a metal sculpture of a tree on the stump instead, I guess. Thanks again, Sue
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