Tree Removal and Stump Grinding

SageMother

There is a tree in my yard that I need to have removed. It's not dead or diseased but it blocks too much sun and has grown so that most of the limbs are actually over the neighbor's house.

All the estimates I get include stump grinding, and i have no clue what that is. Is it really necessary or can someone just cut the tree down and leave the stump alone?

Eric Frei

Sure people can cut the tree down close to ground level and leave the stump.

I usually price the stump separate, sometimes people dont care if it stays, can also mean one less piece of machinery to cart to the job site.

Here's a link to a post where you can see a stump getting ground out.

http://www.treeworld.info/18/tomahaw...html#post10603

__________________

treefeller

Same here, i charge for the stump to be ground out seperatly. Could you not get away with reucing the tre instead of removing it.

SageMother

It is really tall. Out of the three larger, main branches - don't know the correct term for those - two have grown over the neighbors yard and roof. The trunk goes about 4 feet up before the branching.

With the tree removed we wouldn't have to worry about them breaking off in the neighbors yard, and I could plant some herbs in our yard because there would be better sunlight.

Eric Frei

They're called leaders.

So the tree goes up 4' and then divides into 3 leaders of which two go over the boundary and roof of neighbours house.

Can you ring back one of the estimates and ask how much less or price without the stump grind?

Also, if planting herbs etc there wouldn't you want the stump ground out so you can plant a few more things?

__________________

Pete

Stump removal is regarded by some as good hygiene in terms of not leaving habitat for fungi such as Armillaria varieties which might get going on old dead roots then invade living trees
Armillaria link:
Armillaria root rot - Botanic Gardens Trust - Sydney, Australia

James Taylor

stump grinding is not essential but it is advisable, it will as Pete says remove a potential habitat for fungi that could go on to colonise other trees who's roots come into contact with the dead stump and it's decaying root system.

Eventually the stump would decay but this may take many years depending on its size, you could leave it and make it a feature of your garden, put some small climbers up it or hollow out the top enough to put some soil and trailing plants in.

You could get the arborist to leave a little or no stump above ground and cover what is left of the stump with mulch, and then plant your herbs around it, though the stump would rot and soil around it would start to subside to fill the cavity left by the decayed wood, you would just have to top the hole up with soil.

Have you spoken to your neighbours on how they feel about removing this tree it is possible they value it for shade and just for its beauty, it's always best to talk to your neighbours to avoid ill feeling or upset.

Plus I’m not sure of the tree protection legislation in Colorado but wont you need a permit to remove this tree? On what grounds will you be able to have it removed if as you say it is not disseised or dead?

defex

Infected stumps can also spread diseases to other trees