After you remove a tree from your property, you are left with an ugly stump sticking out of the ground. That stump is not just an eyesore. It takes up valuable yard space, creates tripping hazards, attracts pests, and makes mowing your lawn difficult. The solution is professional stump grinding and removal. NorthStar Hobbs Tree Services can eliminate that stump completely, leaving you with a clean, usable yard.
Many people assume stumps will eventually decompose on their own, and technically they will. But natural decomposition can take 10 to 20 years depending on the tree species and size. During that time, the stump becomes a home for termites, carpenter ants, beetles, and other wood-boring insects. It also sends up new shoots that you have to keep cutting back. Professional stump grinding solves all these problems in a single day. When you are ready to complete your tree removal project, we are here to help.
Why You Should Remove Tree Stumps
Leaving a stump in your yard causes more problems than you might realize. Here are the main reasons why stump removal makes sense:
- •Safety hazards: Stumps create tripping risks, especially for children playing or when the grass grows tall around them
- •Lawn maintenance: You have to mow around stumps, wasting time and potentially damaging your mower blades
- •Pest attraction: Decaying stumps attract termites, ants, beetles, and other insects that can spread to your home
- •New growth: Tree stumps often send up sprouts that you have to keep cutting, using energy stored in the root system
- •Wasted space: Stumps take up yard area you could use for landscaping, gardens, or outdoor activities
- •Property appearance: Stumps make your property look neglected and lower curb appeal
- •Disease spread: Fungal diseases in dead stumps can infect nearby healthy trees
How Stump Grinding Works
Stump grinding is the most effective and affordable way to remove stumps. We use a powerful machine called a stump grinder that has a rotating cutting wheel with carbide teeth. This machine grinds the stump into small wood chips, breaking it down below ground level.
When we arrive at your property, we position the grinder over the stump and start cutting. The grinding wheel chips away the wood bit by bit, working from the top of the stump downward. We typically grind stumps 6 to 12 inches below ground level, which is deep enough to cover with soil and grass seed. For stumps where you want to replant immediately, we can grind even deeper.
The grinding process creates a pile of wood chips and sawdust. You can use these chips as mulch in your garden beds if you want, or we can haul them away as part of our service. After grinding, we fill the hole with soil and level it out. You can plant grass seed right away, and within a few weeks, you will not even know there was a stump there. If you need complete tree and stump removal together, we can handle both services at once.
Stump Grinding vs Complete Stump Removal
Most customers choose stump grinding because it is fast, affordable, and effective. However, complete stump removal is another option. This involves digging out the entire stump and root ball. Complete removal is necessary if you plan to build a structure, install a pool, or plant a new tree in the exact same spot.
The downside of complete removal is cost and disruption. Digging out a large stump and root system requires heavy equipment like excavators. It leaves a large hole that needs to be filled with many yards of soil. For most residential situations, grinding is the better choice. It removes the visible stump, prevents regrowth, and allows you to use the area without the expense and mess of excavation.
We can help you decide which approach makes sense for your specific situation. If you are planning major landscape work or construction, our land clearing services might be a better fit than standard stump grinding.
Ready to Get Rid of That Ugly Stump?
Contact us today for fast, professional stump grinding. We will make that stump disappear and give you your yard back.