If you had a tree cut down a tree in your yard, you may have opted to keep the stump in place. If so, you may be wondering now what you can do with it, as it may not look very nice in your yard. In some cases, it is just better to grind it down. If you do not want to do this, then there are other things you can do with it.
Grind It Down
Not only are stumps not pretty, they take up space in your yard, and can be dangerous if you have children running and playing. A neighbor could trip over the stump and become injured, which could result in a liability lawsuit. You could accidentally run into it while mowing and damage your lawn mower.
New sprouts could start growing, which could result in smaller trees growing around the stump area. Insects like ants, termites, and beetles will be attracted to the decaying wood.
It would be easiest and quickest to hire a tree service company (such as Arborist Services LLC) to grind down and remove the stump for you. If you want to save money, however, you could try to do it yourself using a tree stump grinder, which you can rent at a home improvement or hardware store. A grinder is heavy and it is dangerous if you do not know what you are doing. Always wear protective clothing, such as gloves, and goggles due to debris flying around.
If you do not want to use a tree stump grinder, you can try to kill the stump using chemicals. Cut the stump down to ground level, use a drill to drill several large and long holes into the stump. Drill the holes down to approximately 10 inches deep. Go to a garden center and purchase a tree stump killer. Follow the directions on how to properly use it. This works by pouring the chemical down the holes, and then wait for a few weeks to see if the stump softens. When this happens, use an axe to break it away and remove it from the ground.
Decorate It
If you like the tree stump in your yard, or do not want to take the time to remove it just yet, you can decorate it to make it look nicer. During the spring, plant annual flowers around the perimeter of the stump. Purchase some potted flowers, and place the containers on top of the stump.
Drill out the middle of the tree stump, fil it with gardening soil, and plant flowers in it. Planting flowers that cascade over the sides of the stump will hide it even more. Flowers that work well for this purpose include petunia, bacopa, and verbena. Let the kids have fun painting the tree stump with fun and silly designs on it.
If the tree the tree service cut down was diseased, you should have them remove the stump when they cut down the tree. This is because some diseases are highly contagious, and will spread to other trees and vegetation in your yard
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