Avoiding Common Tree Mistakes

4 Ways To Get Rid Of A Tree Stump In Your Yard

3 March 2016 by Chiara Brun

If you recently had a tree removed and still have a stump hanging around, or if you had a tree fall down and still have a stump hanging around, here are three ways that you can remove that stump on your on.

#1 Remove It The Old Fashion Way

You can always remove a stump the old fashion way -- by hand. Just be prepared to spend a lot of time if you choose this method. The larger the stump and the deeper the roots, the longer it will take you.

You will need to start by digging out the soil around the stump, starting as close to the stump as possible and working your way outward. As you dig, you will run into roots. For small roots, you may be able to cut them with a bucksaw.

When you hit the larger roots, you'll need to use a chainsaw. Before you fire up your chainsaw, use a pressure washer to wash away all the dirt and rocks around the large roots. This will prevent dirt and rocks from flying into the air when you cut the root. Keep working until you have cut down all the roots you possibly can holding the tree in place.

After all the roots are removed and the stump is dug out, you'll still need to pull it out. You can attach a chain around the stump and use your pick-up truck to pull it out. Or, you can try to leverage it out using a piece of wood and a jack. This method is very labor intensive and will likely take you a long while.

#2 Accelerate The Rotting Process

Overtime, that tree stump in your yard will eventually rot away. However, if you don't want to wait for the stump in your yard to slowly rot away, you can actually accelerate the rotting process. 

What you will need to do is take a drill and use either a spade bit or an auger bit. Drill multiple holes throughout the top and side of the stump with your drill, going down as far as you can with your drill bit.

Once you have drilled the holes, take some 30-0-3 lawn fertilizer, and pour it into the holes so that they are almost filled to the top. Then, pour some water on the stump so that all the holes are filled with fertilizer and water. Next, take some mulch and completely cover up the stump. Water the stump occasionally to keep the stump damp.

This should accelerate the rotting process while allowing your stump to disappear naturally. 

#3 Rent A Stump Grinder

If you don't want to wait for your stump to rot at a natural or accelerated pace, you can grind the stump down. You will need to rent a stump grinder from your local rental center. Most rental centers only rent out small stump grinders for residential use. 

You will have to take the stump grinder, put it on top of your stump, and let the grinder slowly chop it up into little pieces. If your stump is located on a slope or is really large, a small stump grinder will not get the job done.

#4 The Professionals

If you don't have a lot of time to spend waiting for the stump to break down naturally or digging it out on your own, you can always call in the professionals, like those at Brown's Tree Service and other locations. They will have the tools and training to remove that stump tree from your yard in a matter of hours.

All four of the methods above will help you remove that tree stump from your yard; the method you choose depends on how much time and energy you want to invest in removing the stump and how soon you need it out of your yard. 

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