The Importance of Leaving Stump and Root Removal in the Hands of Professionals

When most homeowners come across signs like a dead tree, cavities in the trunk of the tree, mushrooms growing at its foundation, or poor structures, they make the immediate decision of removing the tree. Once they remove it, they consider their job done, without paying much attention to the stumps and roots that are left. And although some people may try to fix that issue as well once they notice the consequences, however, stump and root removal are best done by the hands of experienced professionals for a variety of reasons.

They Are Hazardous and Can Casuse Accidents

Once the tree is cut down, the bottom of the trunk and the root system remain intact. Their presence can cause children or anybody around them to trip and injure themselves. Moreover, stumps can damage your lawnmower if you happen to accidentally run over them when cutting the grass.

High Chances of New Growth

Small trees get the nutrients they need to thrive from the other plants around them. Generally, when a stump isn’t removed on time, it can contribute to the growth of various new and young sprouts. So, aside from negatively impacting the curb appeal of your landscape, dealing with the new growth can turn out to be very expensive, as newer shoots keep coming back until the stump is completely removed.

Stumps and Roots Attract Insects

Even if a stump is highly vulnerable to decay, it can take a good amount of time for it to rot away completely. In the meantime, it can attract various types of insects like ants, beetles, termites and other insects that are hazardous even to the healthy plants in the yard. And on top of that, these insects can easily invade the indoors of your home. You might save some money by removing the stumps by yourself, but the process can be time-consuming, difficult and dangerous.

You can try chopping through the roots with an axe or a mattock, loosening the soil as you chop. After breaking most of the roots you can use a sledgehammer to expose more roots so you can chop and break them. It may sound tiring, and it is. Expect to repeat these steps many times until you can push the stump over and haul it away. Pulling the stumps out with chains and a heavy truck may sound a great idea, but it can damage the vehicle, the patios or driveways that are close to the stump. And using chemicals to rotten tree stumps is a method that can take months, plus, those toxic chemicals may be harmful to the environment and the people living in that area.

The most efficient and effective method of removing tree stumps from your property is stump grinding. You can consider either buying or renting one. However, grinders can be quite large, so make sure you have a truck or a trailer that can handle the load or ask the rental company to deliver it for an additional cost. You will also have to learn how to operate the machine and get yourself the proper safety equipment including a hard hat, goggles, gloves and protection for your ears. It is very important that you understand that the stump grinder can be dangerous if you do not use it correctly, so proceed with extreme caution and care.

For all these reasons, it’s best to hire a qualified and experienced stump and root removal specialist to get the job done for you. A professional company will have the expertise and tools to take the stumps and roots out without damaging any nearby structures or causing harm to the surrounding landscape. Tree stump removal experts use high-tech professional-grade machines that quickly and efficiently remove the stumps well below ground level by burrowing as they grind. Some grinding machines have carbide teeth on spinning wheels that do the job even faster. Plus, this type of equipment can quickly grind stumps into mulch that you can use as a natural fertilizer under trees, in your garden and in flowerbeds. The mulch can also help control weeds and keep the soil moist.

The grinders generally mulch down to about twenty centimetres below the surface, but they can go further down if necessary. Grinding stumps can help prevent roots from sprouting as well as help prepare your ground for planting grass, flowers, bushes or another tree. Deeper mulching can help eliminate issues with drainage that the remaining roots can cause if you replant the area.

As you can see, besides keeping your trees disease-free and neatly trimmed, it is also important to remove any tree stumps and roots that may be spoiling the aesthetics of your yard. This will not only improve the appearance of your property, but you will be also able to carelessly enjoy in your yard. The benefits of removing tree stumps and roots far exceed the cost.