After the tedious process of removing a tree from your yard, what’s left on the ground are the stumps. Should you grind them or remove them, too? It can be hard to know which route to take. Both have advantages and disadvantages which leaves the decision solely to you as the homeowner based on the result you want to achieve.
Reasons to Remove a Stump
Old stumps may lead to some serious problems on your property. When left for too long, they can invite pests like termites or carpenter ants. These happen after those stumps start decaying slowly on the ground. Therefore, removing them or grinding them won’t matter anymore.
Aside from rotting and inviting destructive insects to your home, other reasons to remove or grind a stump include:
· Old, decaying stumps can cause a decrease in the value of your property.
· Stumps occupy a space in your yard that you should be mowing regularly to avoid the growth of grasses.
· Stumps get in the way of the growth of new plants.
Stump Grinding
Stump grinding involves the use of a specialized ground saw that experts use to shred a stump into wood chips or sawdust. You can choose to grind it to ground level or have it as low as 12 inches below ground level. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of stump grinding include:
Advantages
1. Fast Solution
With the help of the right equipment, the process of stump grinding is fast and efficient.
2. Minimal filling
There’s no need to fill in a big hole after pulling a stump out of the ground. The stump’s roots remain in the ground and leaves a small hole to fill in after.
3. Price
Stump grinding is cheaper because it requires less labor and time to finish. Stump removal makes use of heavy-duty machines with greater power demands.
Disadvantages
1. Mess
Wood chips and sawdust go all over the place and are thus, hard to remove.
2. Potential for New Plants to Grow
New plants may start growing on the stump. The roots of the stump may bring to life some new shoots near where the stump was.
Stump Removal
Pulling the entire stump out of the earth with some powerful equipment like a winch, hydraulic jack, or a tractor is what must be done to remove a stump totally. Some companies also use chemicals or burning methods to perform this task. In that case, here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of this process that you need to be aware of.
Advantages
1. Easier to replant
With the space emptied by the old stump, planting a new one is possible. If you decide to dig a hole in that space, too, filling it with some rich, clean soil will be a good move to prepare for the ideal growth of another plant.
2. Complete Removal
Totally removing the stump offers a better opportunity to plant new trees or in install nice yard fixtures. Stump grinding still leaves the roots on the ground even if it’s been dug a few inches below.
3. Less chance of complications
When the entire stump has been removed, no sprouting or rotting will occur, too. The roots left below the soil can still cause some future difficulties if not addressed as soon as possible.
Disadvantages
1. Time
It takes long time to remove an entire stump out of the ground. Even with the use of chemicals, stump removal is time-consuming. If you desire for a faster process, stump removal is not the option for you.
2. More Expensive
Removing a stump may involve more of an investment of resources and energy. Consuming more time, more strenuous, and costlier fees to pay are some of the downsides of stump removal.
3. Extra work
With stump grinding, you only need to clean up the chips and sawdust that spread in the area, with total stump removal, you’ll need to fill in the hole and haul the massive stump away from the area.
Seeking Expert Advice
Homeowners and business owners can save themselves from the stress of choosing between stump removal or stump grinding with professional tree care service providers around. Experts will assist you in planning and checking your property personally before deciding which process will be better done to the tree stumps around.
Green Tech Tree Environmental Tree Care is a trusted company in Holbrook, MA, for delivering eco-friendly and affordable services. If your trees are showing signs of decay or disease, it is best to call us for help immediately to prevent the worse.
Our experts are residents on the South Shore, making us more careful in performing any tree care service within the area. We aim to help preserve the beauty and safety of both humans and plants in this town. Get your trees checked today by calling us at 781-767-3888.
