Question
My 45' tall pear tree has been damaged by strong winds and must now be removed. How long after grinding out the stump can I replant in the same space? A tree is imperative for shade on my Southern California home.

Answer
There is no health reason not to plant right away. The problem may come in the ground stump. Normally when a stump is ground it is ground about 6 inch or so down in the soil. Some woody parts of the stump and roots will still be in the ground and digging on top of this area may be impossible. Since the tree was "killed" by a wind storm there is no fungi in the soil that would harm a new tree. I say go ahead and replant.