A tree stump is an unsightly visual in your yard. It can cause regrowth, accidental falls, rot, and fungi growth. You can remove the stump and the roots or grind the stump into mulch. If grinding into mulch is the better choice, let the experts handle it. Here’s how they do it.

The Grinding Process

Tree professionals use a stump grinder machine to turn stumps into wood chips. The machine has a single cutter wheel that chops the stump into wood pieces. They target the visible stump and the roots below the ground. Grinding prevents the tree from growing back, developing disease and fungus, and welcoming unwanted pests in the same spot. How much mulch it makes depends on the tree stump’s size. You decide how much to keep and spread throughout your lawn, and the professionals will remove the rest.

From Wood Chips to Mulch

The experts know that wood chips are not enough to make effective mulch. They gather and sift through them to remove rocks and grass. Then, they mix leaves and soil to create mulch. Wood chips in mulch offer pest and weed resistance. They naturally decay, offer moisture retention, and insulate the soil. The lawn will be lush, healthy, and seamless when the grass grows in its place. Mulch doesn’t leave signs of a tree that used to be there like a stump would.

Not All Trees Are Eligible

Experts know a tree stump is safe to mulch by looking at its size, hardness, and condition. Some ineligible stumps carry disease from the former tree. Turning a sick stump into mulch would harm the lawn. Decaying stumps are not suitable for mulching because the grinding solution would look more like dirt than wood chips. Finally, stumps infested by termites can’t make mulch. If you spread the termite-infested wood chips and mulch across your yard, the pests will invade your house and damage it. An exterminator can remove them, but the extra cost doesn’t guarantee a termite-free home.

Eligible tree stumps undergo additional evaluations, including location, accessibility, and obstacles like underground pipes and wires, fences, houses, garages, sheds, and neighboring properties. If your stump is ineligible, arborists will try an alternative method to remove it. They can also help you with mulch by providing some or connecting you to someone who can.

A tree professional can remove or grind tree stumps much more efficiently and in less time than a novice. A stump grinding service is perfect for homes where tree stumps cause accidents, harbor pests, or create an eyesore. An experienced tree expert will use the latest technology and knowledge to make tree stumps a thing of the past. Contact Altar Tree Service for more information on tree stump grinding services in Salem, OR.