Stump Grinding
In this post, I will give you five ways to remove a tree stump. I believe most of us have at some point had to have a tree stump that needs grinding or removing. The easiest way to remove a tree stump in a garden is with a stump grinder. I am not saying that because I own a stump grinder but because it is the easiest and cleanest way to remove a stump. If you need a tree stump removed, you can contact me here.
The stump grinder that I use is a small tracked machine that will fit through most garden gates. It causes minimal disturbance to lawns as it’s very light on the tracks.
Mini Digger
Probably the next best way to remove a tree stump is with a mini digger or small excavator. A mini digger or small excavator will soon pull out a small tree stump. However, if it’s any larger than 6 inches, it will take a bit more effort and digging around the stump.
If you have a tree stump larger than 2 feet, it may not be possible to dig it out with a small excavator. Some tree roots really do hold the stump down and make it difficult for even a digger to remove the stump. The roots are almost like multiple anchors that keep the tree upright. I have been on sites where there are 25-ton excavators and yet they still need my small stump grinder to grind some of the stumps away.
The other problem with digging a stump out is the fact you still have two dispose of the stump. That can also be problematic as, many times; the stump cannot be lifted manually. With a stump grinder, the stump is literally ground up. All you are normally left with is fine wood chips mixed in with the soil. The material can either be left on the site or composted.
Chemical Stump Removers
There are certain products that can be purchased that will help your tree stump to rot down quicker. However, wood is a very tough product and it can literally take years for a stump to rot down. Depending on your age, you may not live to see the stump disappear!
One thing that chemical stump removers will do is to make sure that the stump doesn’t grow anymore. Some tree stumps tend to sprout again once the tree has been cut down.
By drilling a few holes in the tree stump or making holes or cuts with a chainsaw. The chemical can be applied, and the tree stump covered up to speed up the rotting process.
Burning
Some people claim that you can burn a tree stump out. I do not believe that I have ever seen this job carried out completely successfully. Obviously, if you are going to continually have a fire over a tree stump, it will eventually burn out. However, the average garden doesn’t have the material to burn and to have a continuous fire burning and your neighbours may not be too happy.
I certainly wouldn’t recommend the above method.
Grubbing Out By Hand
If your tree stumps are fairly small, it is possible to dig the stump out by hand. However, it’s not something that I recommend. I have removed tree stumps by hand before; it’s hard work.
In the above photograph, you can see a line of small conifers that I dug out. I believe there were about 13 stumps, the job took approximately 5.5 hours. And an extreme amount of effort! The only reason the tree stumps were dug out by hand is the fact that I couldn’t get the machine into the garden.
If you have any questions about removing tree stumps, I am here to help. Please contact me here.
.
