You had a tree cut down, and now you are sitting there with a stump in your garden that does not make a very pretty sight. Or it has got down rooted right in the spot where you had intended to put down some new turf, or it is messing up the appearance of your outdoor grounds. Whatever the motive behind your desire to have it out of the ground, you will soon find out that pulling out a stump may prove to be harder to do than the actual process of cutting the tree.
This article will take you through the key tree stump grinding techniques that can be employed by homeowners in Vancouver and the surrounding areas. Whether it is manual grinding or just natural decomposition, you will be informed on what will fit best in your garden, as well as when to invite Alexa Tree Services to handle the work professionally.
What To Consider Before Starting
After removing the tree, there are choices to make on how to handle the stump. Others decide to abandon the stump to naturally decompose. At least that is the cheapest, and the least pain-staking way until you ruin your lawn mower on the stump or the tree grows once again. It may take a long time, up to 20 years, to deteriorate, particularly when it is a hardwood such as oak. Sometimes, the softer woods like pine decay in approximately 7 years.
You will also need to consider the location of the stump and the impact of the extraction on the surrounding buildings or utility lines.
Common Tree Stump Removal Methods
Below is a discussion on some of the most common DIY methods of tree stump removal:
Method 1: Digging It Out By Hand
Excavating a stump by hand is not an easy task; it is better to leave this to the small or shallow-rooted trees. Digging involves the use of a mattock or pickaxe to loosen the soil, a shovel to excavate the soil, an axe or chainsaw to cut roots, and lots of pushing and pulling to get the stump out. A lever bar or hand winch and chain may also be required in the final extraction.
Method 2: Renting out a Stump Grinder
You can rent out a stump grinder from equipment suppliers, driven by the engine and pushed manually to the place of grinding. These are smaller machines that are suitable for softwood and smaller stumps. It is important that you are conversant with the machinery, you wear protective equipment, including eye protection, and adhere to all the instructions. A skirt or fencing should be placed around the stump before grinding starts in order to assist in keeping the flying debris. The chips formed will be about four times the size of the solid stump. You will have to have some form of disposal; put them in the compost pile or get them out as mulch.
Method 3: Stump Removal chemicals
Generally cheaper than renting a grinder and being much more user-friendly, chemical stump remover comes in brand names like Stump Stop, Stump Out, and Stump Killer, and is usually a combination of concentrated salts, potassium nitrate, alkalis, as well as sulfiting agents to decompose wood and accelerate natural decay. The majority of them suggest drilling 1-inch holes, 1 inch or so deep in the surface of the stump, pouring the holes with the chemical remover, and covering the stump with a tarp to ensure that kids and pets do not get anywhere near it.
And after 4 -6 weeks, you will find it a little softened, and then you may begin to pry it to pieces with a shovel or a mattock, and it may still take you one year to get the stump off altogether. The stump removers will be effective with old stumps that have been subjected to the elements for at least 18 months. Alternatively, in the event that you do not notice any serious rotting occurring after 2 months, you can drill additional holes and add more of the chemical. After decomposing all stumps, you are supposed to wait at least 6 months before planting in that area.
In case you do not want to buy a commercial product, you could use Epsom salt or rock salt as cheaper chemical additives to fill the holes drilled. All you have to do is remember that you still have to wait and have a soil test before you can plant the territory.
Method 4: Natural Decomposition With Time
If your tree was located in a low-traffic place, then instead of grinding tree stump, the simplest way to remove it is through natural decomposition. One of the ways you can make the process of decay quicker is to aerate the soil surrounding the stump, cover it in the sun, and keep it moist. Decay will also accelerate by drilling a few holes and applying fertilizer rich in nitrogen. It will still fully decay in years, according to soil conditions and weather.
What To do When the Stump Is Gone
The practices that follow the removal of the stump are determined by how the stump was removed. A general rule is that the debris is to be cleared off, and well-draining and nutrient-rich soil put in place. The earth will then most likely settle within a few weeks and demand more soil. In huge projects, reestablishment of the area can involve grading of the site.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Giving little thought to the time required for manually digging out the stump of a tree.
- Failure to use the correct safety equipment, such as eye and ear protection, heavy gloves, and steel-toed boots.
- Failing to call the local utilities in your area to have the lines marked.
- Trying to work with those tools and machines that you are not familiar with.
- Overlooking the need to contact your HOA or local municipalities on regulation on stumps removal.
If you have several stumps, a hardwood stump with deep roots, or one that is in proximity to buildings, you can contact Alexa’s Tree Services for professional stump removal service.
FAQs
The natural rotting of a hardwood stump may take as long as 20 years, depending on weather conditions. The softwoods normally rot in 10 years.
Yes! In case the roots of the trees are not cut away, they may produce new shoots. The tree will not look usual, but it will be able to reestablish itself.
The quickest method of removing a stump is to have a professional arborist grind it.
