When you cut a tree in your garden, you are left with a tree stump. If you are not able to incorporate the tree stump into your existing landscape, then you need to chip away the stump by using a stump grinder. But how to utilize the stump grindings? Let’s take a look.
Trees are a beautiful addition to any garden or backyard. They not only provide you the much-needed shade but also make the air around the house much more breathable. However, sometimes it becomes necessary to cut down trees. In such a situation, the tree is felled to the ground, leaving behind a stump. Many homeowners try to incorporate the stump into their existing landscape, but most complain that it looks unsightly. In such a case, tree stump removal becomes necessary and one option that you can consider is to grind the stump by using a stump grinder.
A stump grinder is a power tool that is attached with a rotating cutting disk that grinds the tree stump into small chips. The stump is chipped away to the ground, making the area level with the rest of the landscape. Tree stumps are notoriously difficult to remove from the ground and stump grinders help in their removal. But what do you do with the stump grindings? You cannot leave them out in the yard where it will take away from the beauty of the garden. Here are a few ideas to help you in utilizing the stump grindings.
What to Do With Tree Stump Grindings?
After a tree stump has been ground to small chips by a stump grinder, you will be amazed at the big pile of shredded stump you will be left with. Since leaving the grinding out in the open will do nothing for the beauty of your garden, why not put it to good use.
Use as Mulch
One of the ways to use stump grindings is to use it as mulch. But before you use it for mulching, you need to make sure that the tree from which the grinding came from is not disease infested. Once this has been ascertained, you can proceed to use the grindings for making mulch. First remove as much grindings as you can from the location where the tree has been felled and transport it to another area of the garden. Spread the wood chips in a 1 inch layer over the soil. For best results add the stump shavings to flower beds and rake it into the soil. This gives the grindings a chance to decompose and it increases the nutrient in the soil. Be careful while using stump grindings as mulch from pine trees. Too much of it can increase the acidity of the soil. This will make it difficult for any plant to grow.
Use for Compost
Instead of taking small amount of stump grindings and mixing it with the soil around the garden plants and bushes as mulch, it would be easier to make a compost and use it in as a natural fertilizer. Use a small plastic drum or container to compost the stump shavings. Add other organic waste from your kitchen like vegetable and fruit peels as well as waste from the garden. Make sure to stir the pile of compost frequently so that the stump grindings decompose quickly. Once the stump grindings have decomposed, you can use it to enrich the soil in your flowerbeds and other areas of the garden. You need to decompose the stump shavings for 3-4 months before you use them in your garden as fertilizer.
These were a few ways in which you can use stump grindings. While using the stump grindings as mulch, do not pile it too high around the bushes and trees, as it can cause problems in drainage. If everything else fails, you can try contacting your local nursery for getting rid of the stump grindings.
