What to Do After Stump Grinding?

We all the love the trees in our garden. Unfortunately, every now and then one of them falls over or needs to be felled, leaving you with an unsightly stump on your lawn. Some people like to try and incorporate the stump into their garden landscaping in some way, perhaps as the base of a table or birdbath, but more often than not it is necessary to remove the stump entirely. The best ways to do this is to use a stump grinder, a power tool that grinds tree stumps into wood chips. ​

​But grinding down the stump is only the beginning, and once the stump grinder has done its job, you will be left with an unsightly hole, a bare patch of ground that needs to be attended to and a large pile of stump grindings. This is when the fun begins and you can concentrate on getting your lawn to look great again. We’re exploring some of the best ways to repair your lawn after stump removal. Before you start, you will need a few supplies, including a rake, clippers or a saw, topsoil and grass seeds.

Clear the area of debris

Good preparation is the key to gardening success. Grass doesn’t grow well on wood chips and you need to make sure you clear the area properly, removing any branches, exposed roots, and wood chips. You may need to use clippers or saw to get rid of leftover exposed roots. ​

Sow the Seeds

Once you have cleared the area of stump grindings, fill the hole with topsoil until the ground is slightly higher than the area around it, once the soil has settled it will be level with the rest of garden. After that, sow the grass seeds by hand, dispersing them evenly and making sure you put down a good amount of seed per square inch. Crisscross the area for the best coverage. The final step is to rake the seeds into the soil and cover the entire area with a quarter inch of topsoil. ​

Maintain your grass

Once you have done all that hard work and you want to be rewarded with lush green grass, you will need to give the area some TLC. Use a fine mist setting on your sprayer to keep the ground moist, but be careful not overwater and wash your seeds away. Once the grass has grown an inch or two you will know it is well established and can then be treated the same as the rest of the lawn. ​

Put your stump grindings to good use

Once you have removed the stump, you will still be left with a large pile of stump grindings that need to be taken care of. Here are a few ideas to put the stump grindings to good use:

• You can use the stump grindings to fill the hole left by the stump and then top it up with topsoil.
• Stump grinding makes excellent mulch. Spread the wood chips in a one-inch layer over your soil and then rake it into your flower beds. This will allow the grindings to decompose and add to the nutrients of your soil. Just make sure the tree is not diseased, and if you’re dealing with pine trees use the mulch sparingly as it can increase the acidity of your soil, making it hard for plants to grow.
• You can also turn your stump grindings into compost. Allow the stump grindings to decompose in your compost heap, along with your other organic waste. It will take approximately three to four months to complete the process, but once the stump grindings have decomposed you will have a nice pile of compost to use in your garden.

Stump grinding and removal is not a DIY exercise. It can be dangerous and it is best to get the job done by an experienced professional who has all the right tools, and knows how to use them. Martin’s Tree Services is here to assist you with all your gardening needs, including stump grinding and removal. ​