While most homeowners enjoy the presence of beautiful trees on their property, few enjoy the look and effects of rotting or dead growths. When these dead trees are removed, unsightly stumps often remain. Options for stump removal that do not include harmful chemicals will not only remove the stump, but leave your yard looking fresh and ready for the next generation of plantings.

Two popular and quick stump removal methods include:

1. Grubbing: Pulling or digging out the whole stump is the quickest method of stump removal. Stumps from trees smaller than 14 inches in diameter are often not too difficult to remove with this method. The most common type of grubbing is to dig a trench or ditch around the stump and cut the lateral roots with an axe, grub hoe or mattock. Workers then roll, drag, winch or slide the stump from the hole. You can re-fill the remaining hole with topsoil and cover with sod or grass seed.

2. Stump Grinding: Grinding stumps involves a machine that mechanically grinds stumps down to just below the soil line. This quick, safe, and chemical-free process can take minutes, and the remaining hole can be filled with topsoil.

Now that the stump is removed, what is the best way to go about replanting? With these simple stump removal techniques, replanting can begin the day of removal. However, because the root systems from the tree you just removed may still be in place, it could be difficult to dig a planting hole in old tree’s exact location. Grubbing out the remaining roots will assist in making the ground a fit place for a new tree. In addition, ground organisms that rot stumps and underground wood often continue to live off of resources in the ground where the tree once was, for months to years. Thus, rather than replanting in the exact spot of stump removal, fill in the hole with topsoil, cover with sod or grass seed, and situate a new tree in a fresh place in the yard.

Removing unsightly stumps from your yard can be an easy and safe process. Using the techniques above, you can rejuvenate your yard immediately by eliminating rotting or unattractive wood and replacing it with fresh soil, new seeds, and one or more new trees. Both grubbing and grinding are one-day efforts that go a long way to improving the look and health of your grounds.