Stump Removal

If you’re sick and tired of having a tree stump in your garden, then taking the time to remove it is usually worth the effort. Fortunately, stump removal doesn’t have to be a complicated job – so if you have some time and patience, you can usually remove the stump by yourself. Of course, you always have the option of hiring a professional who could assist you with the task.

In this guide, we’re going to take a closer look at some of the most successful ways to remove a stump from an unwanted location, so let’s get started.

Step 1 – Dig the stump out

Perhaps the most common way to remove the unwanted stump is to begin by digging around the stump, with the goal of exposing the roots underneath.

Now, if the tree stump has been there for a long time, then there’s a good chance that the roots will be somewhat stubborn to remove, but if you go deep enough, you will usually be able to gain enough leverage to make the job of stump removal much easier to contend with.

Step 2 – Chop those roots

Once you have the vast majority of the roots exposed, it’ll be time to begin the process of cutting and chopping them up, to loosen the secure footing that the stump currently has.

In most cases, this job will be easiest with a small ax, as this will allow you to chop quickly through the stubborn roots that are keeping the tree stump secure.

Another option is to use loppers or a root saw to cut the roots into small pieces, and most people find that using a variety of tools is needed to make sure the stump becomes as loose as possible.

Step 3 – Pull up the roots

Once you’ve successfully chopped the roots as much as you can, it’ll be time to pull them up. It’s best to use a grub hoe to do this, as it will give you the most leverage possible and allow you to grab the roots from their most extreme tips.

In some cases, you may find that you’ll need to perform more cutting during this process, so there’s no harm in popping back to step 2 and cutting the roots some more.

Step 4 – Remove the stump

The final step – and the one you’ve been waiting for – is removing the stump! Once the roots have been exposed and cut, with the most stubborn ones being pulled up entirely, you may be lucky enough to find that the tree stump moves out of the ground rather quickly.

Of course, you may need to give it a few firm tugs and wiggle the stump around in the earth somewhat, but if you persist, you should find that the stump comes out eventually. If needed, you can always return to some of the previous steps to reduce some of the resistance you may be facing when it comes to pulling the tree stump from the earth.