Trees are an essential part of the environment and are beneficial in many ways. They purify the air and improve its quality, provide shade, add beauty to the landscape, and increase the property value until they are alive. However, when they die they can pose a threat to their surroundings. Their falling branches can injure people or animals walking or sitting beneath them, and can also damage their property. Hence, cutting it down becomes a necessity.
However, removing a tree can be a stressful experience for many homeowners. Unfortunately, this whole process does not end here. This is because you will have to deal with the stump left behind after cutting down that dead tree sooner.
The stump may look harmless at the first glance. Therefore, many people entirely chose to forgo the stump removal process. They try to plant new trees around the stump or repurpose it. However, this may be viable sometimes, but just like the dead tree, a stump can also prove to be a safety hazard. Hence, as a stump grinding Jacksonville Fl, service we will always suggest you get rid of it. If you are still not sure whether you should have the stump removed or not, here are a few reasons that may influence your decision. So, read on and why you shouldn’t leave the stump in the ground.
REASONS TO REMOVE A TREE STUMP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
Stumps can be a home to pests and microbes and attract insects
If a stump is left as it is, over a period of time it will start decomposing, eventually breaking down completely. After the stump rots and softens, it becomes a haven for many insects that are seeking food sources and shelter. They become a home to pests such as termites, tree wasps, and beetles.
Commonly ant species such as carpenter ants will move in and build their colony to be protected by wood. The ants may not seem to be a problem, but they may seek out the nearest source of food that is your house. They might appear everywhere around your house which can lead to serious pest problems.
In addition to ants, the termites love the tree stumps as well and will build a colony in the wood and the ground beneath it. The termites often won’t just keep to the stumps, they will also spread to other plants such as trees and shrubs. In case, if the stump is near the house then it will be a gateway to the wooden structures of your home.
These pests can cause a serious pest problem and also be harmful to your health as they might cause stings, bites, and allergies. Removing the stump will help you prevent pest problems from occurring and thus avoiding any health issue.
Tree stumps can be a hazardous physical obstacle or a safety hazard
Besides the stumps’ natural tendency to attract unwanted species, one major problem that arises when you leave the stump as it is on your property is that it instantly becomes a safety hazard. Especially, if it is on your regular path or somewhere near it.
While you may think that you will remember the presence of the stump on your path, there are still high chances that you may forget about it and bump into the stump, which cannot be ignored. Additionally, if you are a parent, these stumps can provide tripping hazards to your children playing in your yard. Since this stump is solid wood, a person tumbling onto it can get seriously hurt.
Also, if you are doing any sort of yard work like mowing the lawn, you will need to take care to avoid the stump. Because there is a high possibility of severe damage to the lawnmower if it accidentally comes in contact with the stump. This will lead to another possible safety hazard for yourself or anyone else working on the lawn.
Moreover, as time passes, the stumps start decomposing and eventually break apart. These pieces will land on your yard ultimately becoming potential projectiles.
By getting rid of the stump, you will stay safe from all these hazards.
Stumps allow various plants to grow around them and invade the yard
Tree stumps can be invasively obstructing the space in your yard and landscape. Other small plants and trees begin to grow on the remains from the old tree which are often small, unsightly, and extremely difficult to remove.
Moreover, these stumps are also home to other plant species that are so tiny and difficult to see with naked eyes. These plants require nutrients to survive and hence robbing away nutrients from the soil that are necessary for other plants surrounding them. Hence, proving harmful to the other plants in your yard and soil health. In many cases, these invasive plants can be very difficult to get rid of and may require chemicals to be destroyed completely. Fungi-like mushrooms can also start growing from these stumps or the stump root popping up throughout your yard. Depending on their type, they can prove to be dangerous to your pets or other animals that eat them and can also spread or infect other nearby trees. Hence, getting rid of stumps quickly becomes necessary.
Stumps can lead to aesthetic problems and curb the property value
Aesthetically speaking, having a stump in your backyard will be unsightly. Because stumps are easily spottable due to their large sizes. A quick glance towards the direction where the stump is present does not make it hard to notice the dead remains of the tree. The longer you wait to get rid of that stump, the more you risk putting your property value down. After all, the stumps are often considered as eyesores that make your yard look unattractive and unkempt. Moreover, if you decide to sell your place the potential buyer may not be keen on buying a place with stripping hazard stumps in the yard. Your property might have the sleekest and the most modern design but with a stump on-site, your buyer will definitely think of other options.
Once you remove the stump, you can repurpose this place with a plant, flowerbed, picnic table, or something else to enhance that space in order to add value to your home. Or you may just leave that area clear so that the children can play in a safe environment without any tripping hazards or dangers.
Stumps can cause damage to your property
In addition to curbing the look of your yard and reducing your property value, the stumps also cause potential damage to your property. Just because the tree is cut, it does not mean that it is entirely dead. The roots of the tree will still continue to grow until the stump completely decomposes. These roots can eventually reach out to the other areas of your landscape and even your home, damaging the pipes, lifting pavement such as patios, sidewalks, and driveways, and even cracking the foundation of your home. So, before the roots get a chance to cause any damage to your property it is best to remove them. Because these damages can cost you more than removing the stump in the first place.
Tree stumps can consume your yard space
Have you ever thought of putting a picnic table in your yard? Or perhaps, you must have planned to put a garden there. You can definitely do whatever you want to do in your yard, but if there are stumps present in your lawn, they will acquire a lot of space and create problems for getting your plans into fruition.
Especially, if you have a small lawn and if you wish to transform it into a family spot where you and your family can bond and relax, a stump is a big no. On the other, they are like blemishes that take away from the scenic look in the large yard.
By removing the stumps your small yards can look a bit larger and provide you room to execute your plans and you can use that place effectively. You can create a compost pile or a flower bed or even start off with a sprout for a new tree, it is up to you. Now as you might be well convinced and planning to remove your stump. Let us take a look at the best way to get rid of it.
BEST Way to Remove your Stump
There are basically two significant methods for removing the stump. One is stump grinding while the other is stump removal. Both these methods come with their own advantages and disadvantages. Though choosing the best among them will definitely depend on your future plans for your landscape, we think stump grinding will be a better choice for the following reason.
Compared to stump grinding, stump removal is a more intrusive process. It involves pulling out the whole bulky stump and then digging out its widespread roots. As this process is so tedious, it requires a lot of time, powerful tools, and too much effort for this job to get the job done. Moreover, it will leave a large hole behind that can be an eyesore until it is filled.
On the other hand, stump grinding is much less intensive. In this process, the professionals use a machine called a stump grinder to completely shred the stump down into small pieces and destroy the root system to a depth about a foot beneath the ground. The wood chips that you get after grinding can be used as a mulch for other plants in your landscape. Thus, this process is much more efficient than the stump removal process. However, this process does leave the roots behind. But they will eventually decay over a period of time. Following are some of the benefits that stump grinding will offer you.
- Stump grinding is a quick and efficient process and can be done easily.
- It is an easy and less labor-intensive process.
- This process takes less time than the stump removal process.
- Stump grinding is less invasive since the roots are left behind that will eventually decay with time.
- There will be no hole left in your yard to be fixed after grinding out the stump because this process only grinds out the stump.
- This process is environmentally friendly as after removing the stump, you prevent all the harms that this stump may cause to other plants.
- The soil will not get disturbed during the process.
- You can use the wood chips that you get after grinding as a mulch.
- This process is more economical and cost-efficient.
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Though tree stumps may seem harmless at first, they eventually can cause a lot of damage and headache if left unattended. It will not only take up valuable space in your yard but also pose a threat to you, your family, and the surrounding plants. So, conclusively, we can say that removing a stump from your yard will be a wise decision as you won’t have to worry about any escalating damage. In addition to it, removing them immediately will benefit you in the long term.
Now, if you have made up your mind to get rid of that sturdy stump, there are many ways to do so. You can either burn it down, dissolve chemically, dig it out, or ground it. But we think that stump grinding will be the best way among many techniques used for removing the stump. You may also do it yourself by renting a stump grinder, but considering your safety, we will not recommend it. Additionally, if you are not prepared for such a job, you may end up damaging your property and find this process a bit overwhelming and daunting. However, simply hiring a professional stump grinder service that will even help you to clear off the excess grindings and mess left after the process will be more cost-effective and efficient. These professional grinders will charge based on the size of the stump, the number of stumps to be removed, their condition, and the time required to remove the stump. Finally, removing the stump will be the best option for you.