What are Tree Trimming and Stump Grinding?

If you own any sort of commercial, residential, investment or rental property with trees on it, tree trimming and stump grinding are two services you may need to take advantage of sooner or later. 

Benefits of Tree Trimming

Tree trimming is the pruning and cutting of trees and shrubs for appearance and safety. Trees that are regularly trimmed and pruned look better. This can increase the value and enhance the appearance of your property. For example houses with good looking foliage out front are often easier to sale or rent.

There are safety reasons for trimming of trees as well, limbs can grow into power lines and buildings. They should definitely cut before this happens. If limbs are not trimmed back you can end up paying thousands of dollars for repairs. If the limbs on your trees grow into a neighbor’s building or the power line you could be liable for the damages.

It is best to have your trees pruned and trimmed by a professional service. Such a service can do the job safely, effectively and quickly. Pruning can be very dangerous especially to those who are inexperienced at it. It can also cause damage that you would have to pay for, for example if the limbs you cut fell on your neighbor’s car, he could sue you.

Something else that people may not realize is that pruning limbs at the wrong time of the year can spread tree-killing funguses and insects. Obviously you do not want to do that.

What is Stump Grinding?

A stump grinder is a special machine that literally turns stumps into sawdust. Such a device can get rid of a stump without tearing up your yard or damaging your lawn or gardens. It can completely and totally get rid of a stump so you can plant a new tree, put in a garden or do some building.

Stump grinding can get property ready for building and get rid of unsightly stumps that are in your way. It has to be done by professional services but it is cheaper, safer and less destructive than traditional alternatives such as bulldozers and dynamite.

Like trimming, stump grinding should be done by the pros because stumps from dead trees need to be removed completely. Such stumps often contain fungal disease and insect pests that can spread to the rest of your trees or shrubs and kill them.

What Stump Grinding Can Do for You

Cutting down the trunk is often the easiest and quickest part of the tree removal process. Once the trunk is gone, the stump remains and it can be both an eyesore and a nuisance. In addition to being an eyesore, a stump can be an obstacle to vehicles and to landscaping efforts. Stumps can also be home to pests and fungus that can kill your other trees. Therefore removing them is critical to maintaining the health of your trees. Removing a stump can be tough without the proper equipment. A bulldozer can be used to rip out a stump but it can also tear up your yard in the process. The old fashioned stump removal methods of dynamiting and burning are both dangerous and illegal. Fortunately there is a modern method of removing a stump that is safe, legal and environmentally friendly. It is called stump grinding and it involves a special machine that pulverizes the stump into sawdust.

The sawdust can then be hauled away or composted to make mulch. If a professional stump grinder knows his job, it could look as if there was never a tree in the location to begin with. Once stump grinding is done a new tree can be planted on the site, the site can be landscaped or used as a site for a patio. If you are clearing land for a building site, stump grinding is necessary.

Another advantage to stump grinding is that no special disposal is needed for the old stump. Once the stump is ground up it can be composted or simply tossed into the trash. Many trash services will not haul away stumps but they will haul away sawdust. The best way to get rid of a stump is to call a reputable professional tree service with a stump grinder. Such a service should be able to come out and give you a free estimate on the grinding job. It should also be able to do any other tree removal work needed such as felling dead, dying or unwanted trees. It can also plant new trees to replace dead ones and preserve the beauty and value of your property.