When a tree is severely damaged or struck by disease, cutting it down is the safest option.
However, felling the tree might not solve all your problems. After the tree comes down, what remains is a stump. The stump might look dead and dormant, but left in place, it can wreak havoc on all sorts of nearby structures:
Don't leave a stump in your yard to cause damage. Learn how to keep your yard safe and clean by using a stump grinder to remove a stump and the roots surrounding it.
Once you cut down a tree and all its leaves and branches, the tree should be dead, right?
The tree can use that energy to start regrowing shoots at ground level or just below it on the stump. In some species, shoots also can sprout from roots that lie shallow in the ground.
Left unchecked, stump sprouts and shoots usually grow in spots where you likely didn’t plan to establish trees. Not only that, but the shoots growing directly out of the stump often do so at unsafe angles that can pose risks once they get larger.
If your tree has an extensive root system that spreads throughout your property, you’ll need to be vigilant to catch and mow down any shoots that sprout far from the tree. However, stump removal can help stop some of the most troublesome shoots to prevent this in the first place.
It is possible to dig out a stump manually, using several different tools:
With those tips in mind, it’s time to start digging.
Use a chainsaw to cut the stump as close to the ground as you possibly can without either damaging the saw or putting your limbs at risk.
If you want to use an herbicide to reduce the chances of sprouts or shoots developing from far-reaching roots, the best time to apply it is immediately after the tree is felled.
Use a basic, inexpensive paintbrush to apply a broadleaf herbicide to the top of the stump. Applying it this way will allow it to be absorbed into the channels that will carry the herbicide into the roots.
Take care when using these herbicides, as the chemical sometimes can seep into the systems of other nearby trees. Wait several days for absorption before grinding the stump.
Make sure you work with at least one partner nearby but have that person and anyone else present stand at least fifty feet away from the stump to reduce the chance of being struck by flying debris.
Bring the stump grinder’s cutting wheel against the stump and start the grinder with the throttle in the “low” position.
Push the tree stump grinder closer to the developing hole as needed for the wheel to reach the wood. You should grind to a depth of about six to eight inches into the ground.
Turn the throttle or grinding speed higher and start to gradually sweep the cutting wheel side to side and around the top and bottom edges of the hole. The goal is to widen the hole by a few inches and grind away any roots remaining in the immediate area.
Turn the throttle down and slowly bring the grinding wheel to a stop. Shut off the grinder before backing it out of the hole.
In addition to keeping people who walk across the property safe, filling the hole where your stump used to be blocks sunlight from reaching any living tissue that still might be left.
Several kinds of material can be used as fill:
The choice depends on how natural or manicured you want your landscape to look.
A similar method involves filling the drilled holes with saltpeter and water, letting that mixture soak into the wood, saturating the stump with kerosene, and then burning the stump. This method has several disadvantages:
But if you want to prevent damage to nearby structures and give yourself a new patch of fertile soil where plants can grow, use a stump grinder to get rid of that stump once and for all.