Cutting down a tree may be necessary for reasons ranging from safety concerns to improving your home’s curb appeal. Whatever the impetus, the reality is that once the tree is down, you’re left with a stump, which can be just as much of a hazard as a dead or sick tree.
Children, family, neighbors and even postal workers might trip on it, and it can become a home for various pests and fungi, not to mention that it can be quite the eyesore. Let’s look at the best ways to get rid of it.
UNSAFE OR DANGEROUS STUMP REMOVAL OPTIONS
There are three ways to chemically remove a tree stump. Traditionally, the quickest method is to simply burn it down--but there’s no way to do this safely and many cities outright prohibit it. During the dry summer months, starting a fire on your property runs a great risk to the safety of the community around you.
Some people choose to use chemicals to degrade the stump and make it easier to break down. Unfortunately, this method leaves you with chemical residue, which presents a serious hazard if you have children, pets or wildlife anywhere around the yard.
Finally, you can wait for the stump to rot away, but this can take years or even decades and may spread disease. You can read our recent post about how stump grinding can reduce the spread of tree diseases in Edmonton.
These are just some of the troublesome reasons that you want to consider a safe and environmentally-friendly option for removing that unsightly stump. If you don’t want to wait a decade, risk starting a fire or dump dangerous chemicals where your kids play then we suggest having your tree stump removed by a process called stump grinding. Technically, stump removal involves entirely pulling out the stump, root system and all. Not only does stump removal take a lot of work and equipment, but you’ll also be left with a huge hole to fill.
ARBORISTS RECOMMEND STUMP GRINDING IN ALBERTAN CITIES
Stump grinding is the process of mulching a tree stump down to just below the soil line, effectively removing it from view and allowing the remains of the root system to decay naturally over time. Of all the options discussed here, this is by far the quickest and most environmentally friendly, as the remains of the tree will keep your soil healthy and you won’t need to resort to chemicals. More importantly, the process takes about an hour or two, is cheaper than other methods, and won’t leave you with a giant hole to fill.
CONTACT US ANY SEASON OF THE YEAR TO DISCUSS YOUR STUMP REMOVAL OPTIONS
You might be thinking that stump grinding sounds easy enough, but the equipment used is still dangerous and needs to be handled by professionals. If you’re in need of stump grinding in Edmonton, Spruce Grove or Sherwood Park, contact us at All Season Tree Service. Our team can handle anything tree-related from emergency tree removal to stump grinding and beyond. Contact us today for a free estimate.