When a dead, diseased, or severely damaged tree needs to be removed from your yard, you’ll almost always be left with a stump that needs to be removed after the tree is gone. It can be tempting, either in the name of ease or in the name of environmentally friendly practices, to try to leave the stump in place, but that isn’t a good idea (for many reasons). Once you know you need to deal with it, the question remains: how? What’s the best way to get rid of the tree stump effectively, safely, and permanently, all while being conscious of the environmental impact? It’s always a good idea to call in a professional for a job like this, because we have the equipment and expertise to handle tree stump removal as quickly and thoroughly as possible (and our methods are environmentally friendly, too — more on that later). Many of the DIY strategies (like herbicides) are the exact opposite of eco-friendly.
We have some strategies for handling that pesky stump, whether you want to try to tackle it yourself, or if you want to call in the pros.
Digging Out the Stump
This accomplishes the task to be sure, but it’s incredibly labour-intensive and you’ll be left with a massive hole in your yard at the end. You can’t argue with the environmental impact though — there isn’t any, and that’s a good thing (your back may not agree the next morning, though).
Burning the Stump
Technically, this is a “natural” process, in that no chemicals are used to break down the stump … unless you use an accelerant to help the fire along … and it’s very hard to burn a stump out without using an accelerant. On second thought … this doesn’t really count as eco-friendly because of a) the likely need to use a chemical accelerant to burn the stump out and b) the negative environmental impact of the by-products from the fire. (This method is also potentially quite dangerous, so just don’t do this.)
Salt
As an alternative to heavy herbicides that are sold commercially, using Epsom salts to aid in breaking down the remains of the tree has a much milder impact (not 0 though — the surrounding plants and grasses can be impacted by the increased salinity in the soil). This is done by drilling holes into the stump and pouring salt into the holes. It’s a slow process, but usually effective over time.
Accelerated Decomposition
This is one step away from leaving the stump in place and waiting for it to rot in peace (which will happen eventually, unless it continues to grow). The idea here is to drill holes into the stump (as with the salt method) and to fill the holes with partially decomposed matter (such as fertilizer, mulch, or compost). Another similar alternative is to cover the stump with a tarp and mulch, to fend off any potential regrowth (no sunlight) while accelerating the decomposition with mulch or fertilizer. These techniques will result in a faster decomposition than just leaving it alone — the helpful bacteria in the organic matter will help to begin to breakdown the stump faster than just exposure to the elements. It takes a long time, though, and opens up the stump to some of the same worries (such as fungal growth) that come from ignoring the stump and just hoping it goes away.
Stump Grinding
From a professional standpoint, this is the gold standard. It’s entirely effective, and eco-conscious. The remaining stump is ground up into wood chips that are left in place to decompose, enriching the soil and fertilizing future growth while making it completely impossible for the tree to regrow. This requires professional expertise and specialist equipment, but it’s an effective, environmentally friendly approach that we would love to use to help you in your yard.
We firmly believe that stump griding is the right choice for most bigger tree stumps (digging out the stump might work reasonably well for smaller ones) and although it’s more expensive than the other techniques listed here, it’s effective, efficient, and entirely eco-friendly. We’re happy to help you tackle any kind of stumps you have to deal with — call us for more information or an estimate.
