If you are one of the people who love having a well-manicured lawn, having stumps on your yard can ruin the look, and you don’t want this, do you?

To ensure this doesn’t happen, you should remove the stumps as soon as you have the tree removal companies remove the tree. For the best stump removal, you need to follow a number of tips that include:

Use the right removal equipment

The ideal method to remove a tree stump is to use equipment built exclusively for stump removal.

For the best outcome, use a stump grinder, as it will do the job best. Heavy machinery can perform the work, but it isn’t the best solution. You’re going to make a huge mess that way.

Some people use chemicals to remove stumps, and others attempt to burn them out, but these methods often don’t give the best results.

Other homeowners want to do it themselves and go down to the hardware store and rent a small handheld version of a stumper.

If the stumps are little and softwood, this can be an efficient solution for homeowners who wish to perform their stump removal; but, if the stump is hardwood or larger, it will be less effective.

You should be aware of the nature of the tree that you are looking to remove. If it’s too big for you, you will be better off getting a professional to help you remove it.

Take time to study the area.

Before beginning the stump grinding procedure, you should study the area you will be working on. The most common way for someone to be hurt while grinding a stump is not knowing what’s under the ground.

The first step in this type of endeavor is to contact the local utility department and call the Diggers Hotline to confirm that all underground lines are correctly identified.

It will even be better if you have flags in the yard and marks spray painted on the ground where there might be utilities like a water line, power line, or gas line.

Whether the stump is appropriately marked for any underground utilities or not is your number one safety factor. Of course, you shouldn’t try removing a stump that is under power lines.

The best way to go about it is to mark out 10 feet around any stump that is being ground out.

Have an emergency plan.

Even if everything is clearly designated, you should have a plan in place to cope with what can happen if a line is crossed.

There should be safety policies and procedures in place so that you know what you should do in case of an emergency.

When it comes to stump removal, you can’t be too safe or too prepared. So be ready for anything unplanned that might come about.

Barricade the area

Once you are ready to remove the stump, erect a safety barricade around the stump to prevent debris from flying back and striking houses and people nearby.

After the barricades, wear the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), take a pickaxe, and circle the stump to see if you can pick anything up before grinding begins.

Grind deep enough

When grinding a stump, you should grind deep enough to remove the entire mound, including the roots and any earth that flares up to the stump.

In many situations, homeowners want a stump removed so they may use the space for other plants, and they may even want to replant a new tree in the location.

If this is the case, you should avoid planting a new tree in an identical location to the stump that was removed. Even if you complete the operation correctly and accurately, there is always the possibility that the stump was not ground deeply enough to completely eliminate old root remnants that could interfere with the growth of a new tree.

Instead, you should fix the hole and plant new trees around the area.

If you are uncomfortable grinding the stump near a defined line, you should avoid using machinery to do so. If that’s the case, you should use a chainsaw to flush it as near to the ground as possible to make it less noticeable.

You also should consider hand digging down adjacent to the utility line and using a mechanical grinder to remove the stump if you are confident in your ability to do so.

Once you know you’re ready to grind, you can start stump grinding, but be careful not to go deeper than what you hand-dug.

You can grind stumps that are near utilities. You just have to be extremely cautious.

You should clear the site of all waste as soon as possible once the project is completed, as the chippings will be much easier to remove while they are light and fresh. Next, make sure that you remove the hole and then fill it with fresh topsoil.

You should rake over the area and carefully pack it down. Finally, break up the top layer of dirt and spread grass seeds to encourage fresh growth in the region.

Wait until the right time.

If the dead trees do not represent a safety risk, consider waiting until winter or late fall to remove them to minimize their impact on your garden.

If you are concerned about whether the trees constitute a hazard, see an arborist services Kensington provider. If the work is done in the winter, you may be able to negotiate a lower price.

If the branches fall on the garden, most will be OK next year, but this would detract from the attractiveness of a portion of the garden for the duration of the growing season.

Shrubs, ground coverings, and perennials within a foot or so of the stumps will most certainly be destroyed or damaged when ground out, so you may want to relocate them temporarily before the task is completed.

If the stump is 2 feet or larger in diameter, clear a 2- to 3-foot area around it. Your contractor can advise you on the amount of space required to grind the stumps. If you wish to plant fresh perennials in the same spot, make sure the stump earth is at least 12 inches deep.