Q&A for How to Remove Tree Stumps

It will depend on what charges the hiring place has but generally you’re probably looking at anywhere between USD$80 up to $250 a day for stump grinder hire. Give the hire place a call for an exact quote. When you hire it, be sure to get it first thing in the morning, to give yourself a whole day’s use.

You can use various items, such as Epsom salts, a high-nitrogen commercial stump rotting substance or cow manure for a natural high-nitrogen choice. To add such a substance, you’ll need drill lots of holes across the stump’s surface, then add the rotting agent. Put a tarp over the top and cover with mulch to help keep in lots of moisture (also be sure to add lots of water). Then, all you can do is give it time, perhaps adding more rotting agent a few months later to keep the process going, as well as ensuring plenty of water is getting to it. This will be a slow process, but it’s a natural one that lets you avoid having to do a lot of heavy work. You might speed it up by uncovering the stump occasionally and re-adding the rotting agent and lots of water, then covering it again.

You can remove a tree stump yourself provided you’re willing to do a lot of hard work and hire a stump grinder. Better yet, get some friends to help you, as it’s a lot of digging! For full details on removing the stump yourself, see the steps above.

It is possible to use a chainsaw to grind down a tree stump but it won’t get rid of the stump completely. However, it can make the stump so low that you can just cover it with soil, bark chips or sand to level it out with the surrounding ground.

It decays after a few years. Stumps can become nesting grounds for snakes and ants. If cut too low, stumps can damage lawnmower blades.

That doesn't sound like a good idea because you can't predict the point where the stump no longer has the strength to hold up the rest of the tree. Bad news for the car, house, or anything else close by.

If they aren't more than 1 to 2 inches thick, yank them out, or use a shovel to pull it out. The roots will decay. Saplings can be pulled by hand.

If you're trying to not harm its surroundings, it is probably best to either dig it out to the point it can be pulled with a truck or tractor. If you have room, you could also try a stump grinder.

Why do you need or want to remove the stump? Removing it will surely mean rebuilding your deck too, at quite considerable cost. It sounds like the easiest way would be to use the chemical stump killing, method as that would allow it to rot without damaging the surrounding neck, though removal will still be difficult.

Hire a professional to come grind it out with a large machine. Most people think that the prices for this service are outrageous, but if you put some time into doing a little research and look into the companies in your area that specifically offer stump grinding, you should be able to find someone who has a lot of experience, does good business, who won't charge you an arm and a leg to grind one very large stump. HomeAdvisor is a good platform for finding pros for projects like that, as well as Thumbtack, Angie's List, GoSmith, and Porch, depending on where you're located. Be sure to read each company's customer reviews, and get quotes from all of them.

If it's dried up, try burning it. Since there's no liquid to stop the fire, it should be easiest.

Try digging it up, but carefully -- you don't want to dig up the saplings. You can also move the saplings away from the stump.

You can dig, or use the rotting method.