How Does Stump Grinding Work
A stump grinder is a machine that removes an exposed wood stub with rotating blades. Residential grinders typically look like lawnmowers with chainsaws at the front of them, and professional ones typically look like bulldozers with a chainsaw blade at the front.
What they do
Stump grinders slowly remove the visible parts of the tree and upper root layer with their rotating blades, and they cut the wood into small, mulch-like pieces. Our professional tools can reach the upper layers of the tree roots that are beneath the soil and can get to them with no problem.
Can you leave a Tree Stump, as is?
If you do not want to remove or grind the stump, you can always leave it in the ground. However, this comes with many consequences. If in your yard, a tree stump can decrease the value of your home as it takes away from curb appeal. Grass will not grow over it, and as it decays, mushrooms and other fungi may grow out of it. Tree stumps that are left in the ground to decay may also attract termites, which are an expensive and tedious task to get rid of. Furthermore, if it is not ground or removed, it can regrow foliage. This means that the stump will not decay and will instead grow back.
Letting a stump naturally decompose also takes time. Most stumps that require tree grinders to remove, will take years to break down and decompose. Furthermore, factors such as climate, environment, and how much of the tree is out of the ground all impact the decomposition rate.
Stump Grinding v. other stump removal methods
Stump grinding is typically a preferred method of dealing with tree stumps and is simply the process of grating the stump and its roots to mulch. Stump removal, on the other hand, is the process of removing the entire leftover tree and its roots from the ground.
Removing a stump requires heavy machinery, so it is difficult to do by yourself. It also leaves a hole where the stump previously was, ruining the landscaping. Grinding a tree stump on the other hand is less reliant on heavy machinery. It is also faster to grind down a stump than to remove one. However, hiring a professional team like ours makes the process easy whether you want your tree stump ground or removed.
Other methods for removing a stump, other than grinding it and taking it out of the ground include chemicals and fire. You can use chemicals to speed up its decomposition of it. You can also set the trunk on fire, but must also be precautious when doing this as to not let anything else catch on fire. The safest, most cost and time-efficient way to remove a stump is with stump grinding.
What to do after Stump Grinding
After grinding the stump, you will be left with all the woodchips (mulch) that the tree has been ground into and the dirt that has come out of the ground. You can then pack those wood chips and dirt into the hole and cover it with a layer of soil so that your ground is flat and even, and the hole is not prominent.
Depending on how big the stump was and how much you dug into the ground, you may have some mulch left over. This extra mulch can be used for your garden beds. When left as a part of the stump, wood can attract termites as it rots. However, when ground and turned to mulch, the resulting wood chips will not attract any pests.
Need Tree Stump Removal or Grinding?
With Gray Brothers Tree Service, getting rid of that annoying tree stump is so much easier. We can help make your yard look as beautiful as it naturally is by ridding your property of the tree stump through your removal or grinding. Our team of experienced, expert arborists will be able to help you pick the best option for your needs.
Contact Us Today for a free consultation.