Why Stump Grinding May Be A Better Option Than Stump Removal

If you have a tree stump in your backyard, you may wonder how to get rid of it. You have two options. One is to grind the stump below ground level. The alternative is to rip out the entire stump and root system. Here's an overview of these processes and why grinding is often the best course of action.

The Process And Cost

The simpler process is to grind the stump, which is done with a specialised stump grinder machine. This will chop it into chip-sized pieces that can be easily transported. The stump will be ground to a depth beneath the soil, leaving the root system to eventually decay naturally. Your garden will be safer without a stump to trip over. Plus, you'll get rid of the eyesore it creates.

Stump removal will also get rid of the hazard and eyesore, but the process is more involved as the roots and stump need to be extracted. How involved it gets depends on the spread of the root system. If the roots extend under paving and buildings, the task can be magnified, and your arborist may need equipment such as a crane to do the job. Because of the increased labour and machinery, stump removal will often be more expensive than stump grinding.

Effects On Your Garden

When getting rid of a stump, you should think about how what you do will affect the rest of the garden. Most of the time, stump grinding will be the less invasive and disruptive method. It will also give you free mulch since you can spread the wood chips around the garden beds to make them healthier overall. The rest of the garden typically won't suffer in the process.

On the other hand, removing the stump and root system can impact the rest of the yard. Large holes will typically need to be dug around the stump to gain access. And other elements in the yard, such as fencing and paving, may be damaged in getting to the roots. If the tree is in the front yard or near the driveway, the process can be quite inconvenient. It may take longer than stump grinding. Plus, other plants and areas of the garden may need to be dug up in the process of getting to the root system. Thus, the lawn and other foliage are more likely to be damaged and need extra attention afterwards.