Jan 14, 2021
Why stump grinding is important.
Tree service work can be pretty exciting — even thoughtful. Not only do we get to use cranes and chainsaws but we also handle the careful pruning of trees and, on larger projects, devise methodical strategies to build sustainable landscapes.
Then there’s stump grinding. (Though to be fair, a stump grinder is a pretty serious machine).
It may not be the glitziest part of our work, but stump grinding can be pretty important — and not just for the aesthetic reason of removing what can be seen as an organic, slowly rotting boat anchor in the backyard.
We can do the stump grinding work you need doing throughout Delaware; Maryland; and in Pennsylvania’s Bucks, Delaware, and Chester Counties and the Villanova area, including Bryn Mawr, St. Davids, Haverford, Gladwyne, and Strafford.
The reality is old stumps can get in the way — which is kind of obvious when a big tree come down — and their roots can be a tripping hazard with low-hanging tree branches no longer there to serve as a natural warning to slow down and be careful. Also, catching a leftover root and bending the blade of your lawnmower is always fun too.
Then there’s the fact that as they slowly decay, stumps become the perfect home for a whole host of neighbors you probably don’t want. These include wood-boring insects liked carpenter ants, termites, and beetles. Some species of bees and wasps also find old stumps to be the desirable new condo development of the neighborhood.
Getting stung is no fun. And an abundance of termites might eventually go looking for more rations — as in your porch or sill plate. Rotting wood is a siren song for them. To quote the Penn State Extension: “Termites feed upon old roots, tree stumps, fallen tree limbs and branches on the ground, and similar materials … In buildings, they feed on cellulose materials, such as structural wood, wood fixtures, paper, books, cotton, and related products.”
Whether you’re having a tree taken down and want to make a clean break — or if you’ve been regretting not getting rid of that stump in the first place years ago — Strobert Tree Services Inc. can take care of it for you.
Stump grinding is the least intrusive way of dealing with the bottom portion of an old tree. Compared to stump removal, which is basically digging up a huge portion of your yard and pulling out most of what’s left of a tree after it comes down, grinding uses specialized machinery to chew it up and spit it out. The process shaves off the top of the stump to below ground level — from 1 to 12 inches — and allows for the area to be rapidly used for other purposes.
As we mentioned, a stump grinder is a pretty serious machine — they have forged steel and carbide teeth that we keep sharpened — and not too many folks consider them a pleasant weekend DIY workout.
Grinding a stump will leave a serious pile of wood chips that are perfect for mulching around plants and using in the garden. And if that doesn’t interest you, we can dispose of the material for you.
