Why old stumps are worth removing
A stump left behind after a tree comes down rarely stays harmless. It catches mower blades, trips up livestock and equipment, and sends up a ring of sprouts every spring, especially with mesquite and hackberry. Rotting stumps can also draw termites and carpenter ants closer to your house, barn or wood fence, and they make it hard to level a yard or build on that spot.
Grinding takes the stump down below the surface so the ground can be used again. Unlike pulling a stump out with a tractor, grinding leaves no large crater to fill and is far less disruptive to nearby lawns, drives and root systems of trees you want to keep. The result is a spot you can cover with soil and seed, sod over or build across.
What to expect on grinding day
Before we begin, we check around each stump for rocks, buried wire, sprinkler heads and utility lines, and we ask about anything you know is underground. Stumps near foundations, fences or septic systems get extra care. We also talk about how far down you need the stump ground, since a lawn and a future slab or driveway have different needs.
Grinding produces a pile of wood chips mixed with soil. Many homeowners like to use it as mulch around beds or let it settle back into the hole. Others would rather have it hauled away and the hole topped with dirt. Either way, we will agree on the cleanup before we start so there are no surprises when the work is done.
What's included
- Site check for rocks, wire and utilities
- Grinding below grade for mowing or seeding
- Surface root grinding near the stump
- Single stumps or whole lots of stumps
- Chips left as mulch or raked into the hole
- Haul-off and fill dirt available on request