What you need to know about tree stump removal

Although trees are beneficial to us, there are instances when a tree needs to be cut down. For example, if a tree is too close to your house, it can cause damage to the foundation of your home. In this case, you have no choice but to remove that tree before it can cause any more harm.

After cutting down a tree, you are left with a tree stump which is the remaining portion of the trunk with the roots still intact. Tree stumps can still sprout into new trees, so it’s important to get rid of the stumps permanently.

Removing the stump is not easy and requires special methods and tools to permanently remove the stump and to keep it from growing back.

Here are the top five reasons for removing tree stumps:

1. They are not pretty to look at, especially once they start to rot or decay. Surely, you don’t want to see unsightly tree stumps in the middle of your landscaped garden.
2. The stump and its roots can take up a lot of space in your garden.
3. They attract termites and other insects. Rotting and decaying tree stumps are the perfect breeding ground for many kinds of bugs and wood-boring insects.
4. They are tripping hazards. It can be very difficult to maneuver around a tree stump when it’s dark and once the grass starts to grow around it.
5. They can cause new tree growth when left behind.

The method for eliminating tree stumps depends on the size and the age of the tree. Here are the different ways to remove tree stumps permanently:

If the tree is not too big, you can manually remove the stump by digging around the roots using a shovel. As the roots become exposed, cut down the roots using an axe. This is the most labour-intensive and time-consuming method of removing tree stumps.

Another option is stump grinding which is mechanically removing the tree stump using a stump grinder. A stump grinder is a power equipment with a toothed circular cutting blade that rotates and breaks the stump into tiny pieces.

You can also use chemical products to speed up the rotting process of a dead tree stump. Potassium nitrate is the main ingredient used to accelerate the decomposition process. In this method, holes are drilled around the stump and then the chemical mixed with water is poured into the holes. Once the stump becomes soft and mulchy, it will be very easy to remove it.

Burning the tree stump is also one way to eliminate large tree stumps. With this method, you also need to bore holes all over the stump fill the holes with kerosene and drop a match on each hole. Set a wood fire on top of the tree stump and sustain the fire for several hours.

Is there a tree in your yard that needs to be cut down? You can post your tree and stump removal job here to start getting quotes from professional tree removalists.