Being an owner of a home comes with a lot of benefits. Having your backyard and having the freedom to do whatever you want with it is truly amazing. Plant your flowers and trees, build your pool or add any other kind of entertainment piece.
However, that does not mean that being a homeowner does not come with some disadvantages too. Most downsides are related to maintenance and maintenance costs both time and money. Currently, a lot of homeowners are struggling with the idea of stump removal.
Without the right equipment, it is a difficult task. In fact, without the right experience, it is an impossible task.
Fortunately, there are a couple of things you could to do alleviate the pressure of this task. To ensure that you can do this on your own, here are a couple of tips that can help with the stump removal and treatment process.
Does the stump need to be removed?
First things first. It’s important to figure out whether this stump has to be removed from your backyard.
Of course, if it is a real eyesore or if it is just in your way of doing any other activity, you should just get rid of it, no doubt about it.
However, if it isn’t causing any real issues, maybe you shouldn’t waste your time to get rid of it. Instead, try to make it a part of your land. Maybe put up a table next to it and use it as a chair. Or maybe even decorate it with some flowers around it and make it the centerpiece of your home’s yard.
But, if this thing has to go, below you will find some real tips to help you.
1. Removing a tree stump by hand
If you don’t have any kind of tools lying around to help you in this process, it is possible to remove a tree stump by hand. But, this is possible only if we’re talking about the right type of stump.
In the case it is from a younger tree, this means that it isn’t too big and that the roots below it are not too deep in the ground. With that, you can start digging around it and try to rip off all the roots that are holding it into the ground.
Additionally, you can grab an ax and chop off all of the exposed roots. You can also chop away at the base of the tree so it loses grip on the roots. With that done, you can start prying away until it dislodges from the ground and the roots.
And you are done! But, before you celebrate, we recommend pulling out all of the remaining roots as it may interfere with other plants (if you wish to plant anything else).
Still, this tip only applies to unique cases. Most people will not be able to resolve their issue by hand which is why we recommend some of the other tips below.
2. Remove stump using a grinder
For the people that don’t have any of the right tools, not even a shovel or an ax, we recommend getting a stump grinder. These machines can get a little bit expensive, but they are extremely useful. And if you don’t feel comfortable spending a lot of money on such a tool, you can always rent one for a fair price.
How grinders work is pretty simple, but you will need to have the necessary protective gear. Grab yourself a pair of protective gloves and some protective eyewear. Bits and pieces of wood will be flying around everywhere, so protecting your eyes is essential, naturally.
Now, just turn on the grinder and start chipping away the tree stump. It shouldn’t be too difficult since these machines are quite powerful. They won’t have any trouble going through the wood and even the soil to cut away all of the roots. Please remember that this task will feel easy with the grinder, but that does not mean that it isn’t dangerous. This is a serious piece of machinery, so you will need to stay in focus at all times.
With the grinding done, remove all of the excess roots and pieces of wood left where the tree stump used to be. Fill the hole with some dirt and you are done!
However, if you deem all of this to be too dangerous, it might be a good idea to call professionals instead. A good tree servicing company will bring all of the necessary tools and get rid of your stump problem in no time. Check this to see exactly what entails a professional tree removal service.
3. Use chemicals
One very popular method of getting rid of tree stumps is chemicals. Don’t worry, when used properly, these chemicals are entirely safe for your soil. You can get these types of chemicals at any gardening shop in your area.
To properly use these chemicals, here is what you will need to do. Grab a drill and drill a few holes into the top of the stump. With that done, slowly pour the chemicals into every hole you drilled and then leave it for a couple of hours. If needed, you might have to wait for a couple of days too. While waiting, you can also pour a bit more of the chemicals into the hole.
After the chemicals have done their job, the tree stump will be completely dissolved and you can easily tear it away from all of the roots.
Unfortunately, you will still have to spend quite a bit of time getting rid of the excess roots. You can do that by digging around with a shovel and cutting off the roots. After some time, the roots will start to decay away too, so you don’t have to worry about them too much.
That’s all there is to it. There are a couple more methods for getting rid of tree stumps and their treatment, but we believe these three methods above are more than enough to solve your issues.
